reports - city of stonnington · 2016-03-29 · in the scheme of improvements set out hereunder. it...

CITY OF PRAHRAN.

HERBERT ARTHUR AUSTIN EMBLING, Esq., J.P., Mayor.

Annual Reports

I THE PRSHRAK 'I'ELEGKAPH PRINTING CO., K I N G STREET.

Councillor H. A. Austin Embling, J.P., Mayor.

C I T Y P R A H R A N .

flnclpor : COUNCILLOR H E R B E R T A R T H U R AUSTIN EMBLING, J.1).

Colmcil lor~ : Prahran Ward : South Varra W a ~ d :

Thomas Gemmell Logan Scott. 1 Edward Naylor. Alfred Thomas Ginn. Albert Armytage Holdsworth. Sydney Albert Chambers, J.P. William Densham.

John Rupert Gordon Nicolson, J.P.

Windsor Ward : Toorak Ward :

Henry Collings Heyward. Josiah James Walter Flintoft, J.P. John Evan Morris. Ernest I-Ioratio Willis, J.P. William Matthew McIlwrick.

I Herbert Arthur Austin Embling, J.P.

... Town Clerk ... ... ... City Surveyor and Treasurer ... ...

... Receiver and Paymaster ...

... Chief Clerk ... ... ...

... ... Rate Collector ... ... ... ... Assistant Rate Collector

... ... ... ... Valuer ... ... Health Officer ... ... . . ... Senior Inspector ... ... ... City Inspector ... ...

Assistant City Inspector . . ... ... ... ... Librarian ... ... ... Librarian's Assistant ... ... ... Junior Clerk ... ... ... ... ... Draftsman ... ... Bookkeeper (Surveyor's Dept.) ... ... Junior Draftsman ... ... ... ... Hallkeeper ... ... ... Market Inspector ...

Asst. Mkt. Inspector & Dog Rgn Oflicer ... ... Prosecuting Officer ... ... ... Solicitor ... ... ...

:3

John Romanis Wm. Calder, A.M.I.C.E. H. W. Dean H. Wesslink R. H. Bothamley W. Mitchell F. W. Williams R. H. Fetherston, M.D. Henry Rider W. N. Tripp A. T. Harris A. E. McMicken H . R. Dainty J. W. Bamford A. W. D. Brown, C.E. W. J. Ward, A.I.A.V. R. S. Moore J. W. Bell B. West W. C. Watts. Sergeant Noble D. H. Herald

Chairmen of the flDu~ticipaIitp of Drabran eincc llncorporation

F. J. Sargood

J. Cunnington

J . Cunningtoil

CF. J. S. Stephen

D. R. Long

J. Wisewould

J. Wisewould

r J. B. Crews

R. McClure

J. B. Crews

1 J. Snowball

J. Stoddart

J. Snowball

{ :: ;ot::l

G. Young

I, \Y. H. Lacey

i \\'. 1-1. Lacey

G. Young

1 \A7. H. Lacey

Chas. Ogg

r Chas. Ogg

R. M. Smith

{ :: r ? m i t h

G. Lewis 1 ,:. HipweU

I C. Hipwell

( G . Young

J. Harris

J. Harris

E. J. Dixon

W. Bowen

S. Willis

I 879-80

I 880-1

1881-2

I 882-3

1883-4

I 884-5

1885-6

I 886-7

I 887-8

I 888-9

I 889-90

I 890- 1

I 891-2

I 892-3

1 893 -4

I 894-5 I 895 -6

I 896-7

I 897-8

I 898-9

I 899-00

I goo- I

1901-2

1902-3

1903-4

904- 5

1 905-6

1906-7

1907-8

1908-9

1909-I0

1910-1 I

191 1-12

'r. Arkle

J . Hole

11. H. Davies

J. Turner

Wm. 'Templeton

G. W. Taylor

T.' B. Muntz

R. A. Forbes

John Beatty

13. Osment

W. Fuller

T. Ellis

J . 11. Maddoc-!;

G. L. Skinner

\\'. Davies

T. Luxton

T. Luxton

T. Luxton

K. A. Forbes

.1'. Simmons

H. XI. Gooch

11. 11. Gooch

T. Luxton

\I7. Densham

IT'. Densha111

S. A. Chambers

S. A. (:hambers

1. J. \V. Flintoft

3. Upton

F. 7'. S. Dobson, 73..4., L L . 3 F. T. S. Dobson, R.A., LL.G.

E. Naylor

J. R. G. Nicolson

H. A. Austin Emblicg

Town Hall, Pi-ahran.

CITY OF PRAHRAN.

MAYOR'S REPORT, 1911=12.

In retiring from the position of Mayor for the year I Q I I -191 2 , 1 desire to express my feel- ings of appreciation of the honour conferred in electing me to the Chair of this important Muni- cipality.

The year through which \ye have just passed has been a inost prosperous and eventful one, and 1 am indebted to the nleinbers of the Collncil for their assistancc during my term of office.

Dandenong Koad Tramway. The completion of the Dandenong Koad Electric Train~vay was an event which has

I-~rought the adjoining Munici~alit ies of Malvern, Caulfield and St. Kilda into closer re la t~onsh i~) with Prahran and the traffic returns from the line have justifi'ed the Councils in lxoviding such excellent travelling facilities for the residents of the respective districts.

Dandenong Road Improyements. The iinproveinents to the Dandenong Road, which have been contemplated for some vears,

have finally been agreed to b), the four Municipalities interested--viz., Prahran, Malvern, St. Kilda ;tnd Caulfield. These have been brought to fruition consequent upon the construction of the electric tramwa; between Chapel Street, Prahran, and Glenferrie Road, Malvern.

The Conference of representatives dealing \vith the matter did me the honour of electing me Chairman, and after a number of meetings and consultations with the respective engineers, including inspections of the whole route, it was agreed to recommend the respective Councils to join in the scheme of improvements set out hereunder.

I t is estimated that the worL will cost &31,000, of which ;mount the Prahran and JIalvern 'Tramways Trust have agreed to contribute the sum of £5000

In the course of a few years this road w ~ l l become a f a~ou r i t e spot, and if kept 111 first- class order will rival any thoroughfare in Melbourne for beauty and design.

Scheme of Irnprouements. I The Dandenong Road along the route of the said tramway from the Railway Bridge

[(J C;leilferrie Road, shall be reconstructed and inipro\ed in accordance with the scheme of improve rllents prepared by the Surveyors to the respective Councils, a copy whereof is hereunto annexed and sealed by the parties hereto, for the purpose of ~dentification

>

2. Each of the Councils undertakes at its own expense to carry out so much of such improvements and reconstruction as is referable to that portion of the said road which is within its Municipal district, and will carry out the same at its own expense, and concurrently with the work ,to be done by the other Municipalities (parties hereto) as hereinafter provided.

3. Upon completion of the said works the Councils respectively agree with each other, and with every two and three of them that they will maintain and keep in first-class order and condition so much of the said tree reserves and grass plantations, as are to be constructed in our- suance of this Agreement, and will respectively pay therefor in the proportion which the frontage of its municipality to the portion of Dandenong Road, the subject to this Agreement, bears to the total of the frontages of the Municipalities thereto.

4. Upon completion of the said works each of the Councils undertakes at its own expense to maintain and keep in first-class order and condition the said main roads which are within its municipal district.

5. The whole of the works and maintenance in this Agreement, and intended to be carried out in pursuance hereof, shall be so carried out under the joint supervision and control of the said Surveyors.

6. The Trust shall pay to the Councils the sum of FlVE THOUSAND POUNDS towards the cost of such improvements and reconstruction of the said road. Such sum shall be paid in monthly instalments of Five hundred pounds as the work progresses, the first payment to be made one month after the commencement of the work, and shall be paid to the respective Councils in the which the respective frontages of each Municipality to the said portion of Dandenong Road bear to the total of such frontages hereto.

7. This agreement shall in no way affect any agreement that may be made between the City of Prahran and the City of St. Kilda for the maintenance of that portion of Dandenong Road between Chapel Street and the said Railway Bridge.

Scheme of improvements referred to in Clause I of the Agreement between the Prahran, Malvern, Caulfield and St. Kilda Councils and the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust.

I . T H E ROADS AND FOOTWAYS and tree reserves shall be laid out as follows, V l Z . : -

The footpaths on the northern and southern sides shall be twenty feet wide.

The two main roads on the northern and southern sides, extending from the Railway Bridge to Glenferrie Road shall be forty-four feet wide.

'The tree reserves to be constructed on each side of the tramway track shall be twenty-five feet wide.

2. T H E G E N E R A L SCHEME of improvements shall be carried out in Dandenong Road from the Railway Bridge to Glenferrie Road, and shall consist of the following work, viz. : -

(a) The balance of the old metal on the present centre road beyond the limits of the tram way track to be excavated and removed.

(b) Any metal so removed shall remain the property of the Municipality from which it was removed.

(c) The borders of each tree reserve shall be formed of hammer-dressed pitchers or kerbing punched on their upper and exposed front faces and dressed to allow of half- inch joints, the joints to be pointed with lime mortar or tar and sand grout. The pitchers to be not less than 12 in. long 9 in. deep and 6 in wide Where the footpaths are not already defined by kerblng the margin shall be formed of pitchers, as described for the margins of tree reserves

(d) Good soil shall be obtained and utilised for the tree reserves and grass plantations

(e) New trees shall be planted so as to form a continuous line in the centre of each tree reserve.

( f ) The trees so to be planted shall be Oriental plane trees planted at mtervals of fiftv feet and protected by suitable stakes or guards

A

City of Prahran-Looking South-East.

- 4

(g) 'The tree reserves shall be properly levelled or graded and sown with suitable grass.

(h) The two main roads shall be excavated, graded and formed to the satisfaction of the Engineers of the four Municipalities. The metal bed shall be thoroughly con- solidated by rolling or otherwise, and a depth of at least ten inches (when con- solidated) of metal laid on the carriage way. The foundation coat to consist of dry macadam 6 in. in thickness, and the upper or wearing crust to consist of tarred macadam not less than four inches in thickness. The foundation coat of dry macadam to remain twelve months before the tarred material is laid, but the whole length of the roads shall be finished with tarred macadam within three years from the date of this agreement.

(i) Each main road shall be channelled on both sides, such channels to consist of a t least four rows of pitchers, the outer rows to be composed of pitchers 8 in. in depth.

( j ) The roadway between Chapel Street and the Railway Bridge shall be laid down with tarred macadam and the side channels re-set to modern form.

(k) The existing road levels shall be retained between Chapel Street and Wattletree Road, but from there to a point about three hundred feet west of Kooyong Road, the levels shall be reduced and the road re-graded.

(1) The present tree reserve between the Hawthorn and Glenferrie Roads shall be altered, and the general cross section of the road with trees and grass plantations continued to Glenferrie Road.

(m) The portion of the southern roadway between Orrong Road and Waiora Road shall remain at a lower level than the tramway track, and the space between the tramway and the southern roadway shall be laid out as a grass slope.

(n) A separate water main shall be laid beneath or adjoining the south channel on the southern roadway.

(0) The pine trees on the road shall be removed.

History of Prahran. By order of the Council, the compilation of the "History of Prahran," was entrusted to

Mr. John Butler Cooper. This was an important work, which ~t was felt should not be delayed, as many of the old residents and landmarks of the first settlement were disappearing, and much of the early history would be difficult to obtain if the Council did not take immediate action to have it placed on record for all time.

Mr. Cooper's work has produced a most entertaining volume of readable matter, contained in sixteen chapters, profusely illustrated with portraits of the pioneers and photographs of the early streets and buildings of the district.

Many interesting subjects are touched upon, including the physical features of Prahran, the first sub-division glvlng details of historical sales of land, the owners and purchasers, the Prahran Road District, the creation of the Municipality in 1856, the great battle which took place between the Progressives and Obstructionists over the matter The City's motto, building of first Town Hall, Fire Brigade, Post Office, South Yarra separation movement, and so on, up to the present time, the final chapter outlining the wealth and population of our great City.

The thanks of the citizens are due to Mr. Cooper, who has carried out his commission with every satisfaction, awakening in the hearts of our older citizens tender memories of the past and placing on record an achievement of which any City might be justly proud.

The Book was published by the Modern Printing Co., of 246 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, and reflects much credit upon the firm.

Prahran Post Office. Further negotiations took place this year with the object of regaining possession of the

Post Ofice Buildings and Quarters a t present occupied by the Commonwealth Government, but without success.

On the 16th Ilecember, 191 I , the l l l n~s t e r for Ilome Aff,urs, Rlr King O'llalley, inspected two s t e s for ,i new Post Office, ,lnd In March of this year \.:rote to the Council, statir~q he W C I S

prepared to accept the sum of 6 ro,ooo for the Commonwealth's interest in the property

The Council replied that it was not prepared to c-ontribute the sun1 demanded in view of' the arrangements made in 1909 for the acquisition of the property upon payment of the sun1 of &ooo, the acceptance of which offer was ;~ l~p roved by the Hen. the Postmaster-General.

The Council \ w s still ~ ~ r e l x ~ r e d t o 1x1y the A,.c;~ooo, ant1 asketl the Minister to abide by the (:ontract.

On thr 9th hl'ly, 1912, the 111n1sler rel)l~ed t h , ~ t the offer of Asooo toiiltl not be enter- tamed

The Minister later on coinnlunicxtetl with Mr. George Fairbairn, M.H.K., for Fawkner, stating that it had been decided to utilice the Post Office Building for the purpose of the Com- monwealth Rank, and it is not now l~rol)osed to 1)roc:eed further with negotiations for its dis- posal

Mr F,~~rb,urn Ixought the illattei before P,lrl~,~nrent on the 18th July, 1913, .\nd outlined the history of the nego t~a t~ons between the Counc.il , ~ n d the Federal Government for the surrender of the lease of the bulldlng, and pointed out that 'In honour&le bargain had been made bv a Government which afterwards went out of offic-e, the bargain had been confilmed by the first Post- rna5ter-General (Mr Thomas), a memher of the ~ ~ r e i e n t Government

Sir John Quick endorsed Mr. Fairbairn's statements of the negotiations which tool< place while he was in office. 'The acceptance of the (hr~nc-il's offer by him as Postmaster-General he re- garded 21s binding, becxuse suc-h a t rans;~c.tion \V;I s \vithin the jurisdiction of the Postal Department.

The Minister for Ilorne Affairs (hIr. King O'Malley) replied that he had gone out himself to look at the property. It was in Chapel Street, which was the highway of Australia. The 1 x 0 - perty was worth Lrg,ooo, and he cor~ld not see that he was justified in making a ))resent of it to the Prahran Council.

As long as he was Mmister for IIorne Affairs, he would he Mln~ster, m d not ,111ow the Postmaster-General or anyone else to run h1m , ~ s ,I rubber stamp.

Drill Room for Cadets. i

I t was considered that a n effort, should he made to provide the c;~dets residing in the district with a proper drill-room for their ineetin:~, inste:lcl of allowing them to occupy the streets, and representations were made to the Honourable the Minister of Defence (Senator Pearce) on the subject. At the interview between that gentleman, representatives of the Council, and Mr. George Fair- bairn, an offer was made of a portion of the Market Building in Commercial Road if the Govern- ment would undertalce to enclose one of ' the sheds and mnlie it suitable far the purpose, estimated :o cost about £400

An inspection was afterwards ~ n a d e by ; ~ n officer of the Department, and particulars of the necessary alterations \yere supplied, and it is hoped that arrang-ements will he completed in the near future.

Empire Day, 1912. On the 24th May arrangements were made by the Council for entertaining all the school

children of the City a t sports in the Toor;& Par:;, the weather was perfect and the various Schools' Committees, assisted by parents and friends of the srholars worked hard in arranging the races between various representative schools, the hizhest ~ruriiber of points being secured by the lllalvern Road School, with the South Yarra School second. -The children were also provided with Merry-go- rounds, Ocean waves, Punch and Judy, and Aunt Sallys, together with confectionery and fruit, which was handed to every child on entering the ground. The Prahran City Band kindly played selections during the afternoon.

In the evening I had the pleasure of entertaining as my guests some thousands of scholars froin the State and Private Schools in the district at 1)icture exhibitions in the City Halls.

Private Residences, Tool-ak.

Royal Picture Theatre. One of the latest and most up-to-date Picture 'l'neatres has been erected in Chapel Street,

\Vindsor, and on the 2nd October, 191 I, I had the honour of declaring the building open to the ~ ~ u b l i c ; or! behalf of the management, the late Mr. Henry Skinner entertained the guests, who included a number of the Councillors and their wives.

Bendigo Council. The Mayor and Councillars of the Bendigo City Council and the Town Clerk, paid a

visit of inspection to this City on the 4th March, 1912, a t the invitation of this Council, to inspect the Refuse Destructor and various lllunicipal works in progress in the City. The guests were entertained at lunch, and expressed their pleasure at the progress the City was making, both municipally and as a trading and residential centre.

Hawksburn State School Additions have been made to the IHawl<sburn State School by the erection of infants' class

rooms on a modern scale, and I had the honour o f opening the building on the 27th September, 191 I The new building faces Cromwell Road, and A S designed to accommodate 400 children.

Trackless Trolley System. On the 5th July, 1912, Mr. Gerald Mussen, a t the invitation of this Council, gave an

interesting lerturette on the trackless trolley system of electric tramways (illustrated) in the Town l-Iall, Prahran, and which \\.as attended by Municipal representatives of Malvern, Caulfield, St. Kilda 2nd South Melbourne.

He explained the system in use on the Continent and elsewhere, and the advantages to be derived from this method of tramway traction and supplied estimates of the cost of installing the system, togetner with the operating expenses, which he pointed out would be considerably less than that of a tramway running upon steel rails.

Educational Congress. An important congress was held in Melbourne from the I ~ t h to the 14th March, 1912, a t

which I was appointed to represent the Council. The conference was held for the purpose of dis- cussing a scheme for the betterment of education in the State of Victoria.

Many interesting papers were read by leading educationalists, which included Mr. James 3lcRae (Training College), on Primary E d u c ~ t i o n , Mr. Blanch and Mr. Frank Tate, on Secondary Education, Mr. Donald Clarke, Mr. King and Mr. 1:. A. Campbell on Technical Education, A'Iiss klenderson on the Lducation of women, Prof. Berry, on University Education.

Visits of inspection were made to the Cniversity, the Secondary Schools, the Technical Schools, the Primary Schools and Kindergartens

Public Library Lectures. A series of four Lectures was given in the P u ~ l i c Library during the winter; they were

of much educational value, and the large attendance of the citizens was an indication of the ~ ~ ~ ~ x - e c i a t i o n in which they were held.

The following were the lectures :--

Xfay zgth, 1912-"Libraries in relation to Education," by E. Morris Miller, Esq., M A . Tune 26th, I 91 2-Shakespearian reading, " Much Ado About Nothing," by Messrs. A. Coppin,

1. F. Bradley and the Pupils of Miss Charlotte Hemming. Introduction and illustrative comments by Dr. J. 1'. \\:.Ison.

J , l ly ~ 4 t h ~ 1912--'(The Early Development of the St&m Engine" (illustrated), by Prof. Henry Payne.

ijngusl .-.8th, 191 2-" The Solar System " (illustrated), by P. Barrachi, Esq., Government 12stronomer.

Conclusion. I desire to express my warmest thanks to the members of the Council and the Official

Staff for their cordial co-operaticn during my term of office.

It was with much regret that Mrs. Embling and I had to abandon the Mayoral Ball this year i c consequence of the death of my father, and I subsequently distributed the balance of the Mayoral allowance among a number of local charities.

I remain, Gentlemen,

Yours very faithfully,

H. A. AUSTIN EMBLING,

Mayor.

Prahran-From the Junction Hotel, Hotel, St. Kilcla, 1912.

Prahran-From the Junction Hotel, St. Kilda, 1860.

TOWN CLERK'S ANNUAL REPORT.

TOWN HALL, PRAHRAK,

1st October, 191 2.

TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS.

I have the honour to submit herewith my report, together with departmental reports for the year 191 1-1912.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, 1911-12.

Annual Elections. The annual elections took place on Thursday, 22nd August, 1912, and resulted as follows :--

Prahran Ward- Edmanson, R. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938 Scott. T. G. L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1278

- .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Majority for Cr. Scott 340

Windsor Ward- Cr. H. C. Heyward re-elected unopposed

South Yarra Ward- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naylor, Edward 921

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Woodward, F. 5 28 -

... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Majority for Cr. Naylor 393

Toorak Ward- Cr. J. J. W. Flintoft, J.P., elected unopposed.

Extraordinary Yacancy. In consequence of the resignation of Councillor A. A. Holdsworth, an extaordinary vacancq-

occurred in the South Yarra Ward, and ex-Councillor William Densham was elected unopposed 01:

the 30th April, 1912.

Metropolitail Fire Brigades Board. Councillor Sir Henry De Castres Kellett, of Kew, is the representative of this Council on

the Metropolitan Fire Brigades' Board.

Municipal Association of Yictoria. Councillor William M. McIlwrick has represented this City on the Municipal Association

during the year. 11

Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust Councillor Edward Naylor has represented the Conncil on the Prahran < ~ n d Alalveri.

Tram\? ays' Trust during the year.

Prahran Mechanics Institute. The fo1Iowing Councillors were on the Committee of Management of the Prahrat~

Mechanics' Institute during the year :-

His Worship the Mayor, Councillcir H. A. Austin Embling, J.P., Chairman. Councillor H. C. Heyward, M'indsor Ward. Councillor S. A. Chambers, J.P., Prahran Ward. Councillor R. Nicolson, South Yarra Ward. Councillor J. J. Flintoft, J.P., Toorak Ward.

Melbourne Tramways Trust. Councillor T G L Scott has represented the Councll on the RIelbourne Trammays Trust

during the year

Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. Councillors Rupert Nicolson, E. Naylor and J. J. W. Flintoft, J P , represented the Cou;?cil

on the IVlelbourne and Rletrol)olitan Board of Works during the year.

Deaths of Prominent Persons. OfficlaI reference u a i made at the meetings of the Coun~l l by 131s \ \ v o l i l ~ ~ l ~ the 114) or ,ind

cther Councillors to the fol low~ng gentlemen who died during the ye,ir

(:Cil!KCILLOR THE IIQNOUKr'lB1,E 'TIlOhLAS LUXTON, M.L.C.

C:ouncillor Luxton occupied ;I s e ~ ~ t in the Council as a representative o f the Windsor \I;;rrd contiiluously for 18 years since 1893, and \vas Mayor of the C I L ~ during four years.

'l'I11< IIONOURABLE HENKy SKINNER. M.L.C.

Rfr. Skinner orcul>ied the vacant seat in the Legislative Cutlncil, caused 11); tile dent]l of t l > c 1 3 ~ s . Tl>ornas Laxton, but only for a few months before his death.

'THE HONOURABLE SIR WILLIAM A. ZEAL occupied a seat in the Council during i 879-80-81-82.

THE HONOL7R~JBLE IV I1 EMBLING, b1 L (. , L R C I' , whc~ died on the 24th h h Y , 1912) rel~resented the Southern PI^\ ince 1.11 the Leg~slative Council of V~ctoria for ln,lny years

Prahran and Malvern Tramways. Further success is recnrded in the operation of the Prahrai~ and 1Ialver11 Tranl~va>~s

system, as will be seen in the comparison of figures for this and the lxevious ).ear, set out Ilere- under. The fact that the revenue has been increased by over £1 1,003 during the year indicates the I , ,~ l~u la r i ty of the ser\.ict, ant1 the gre;rt hoon i t has proved to the residents a ! o n ~ the r o ~ ~ t e .

.She profit corn in^ to the I'rahra~j Comcil for this ) iex aillounth 1 0 ,1;m047 I ,is. r I d., as against £1909 19s. Xd. last year.

12

ANNUAL BALANCE SHEET. The Trust's audited Balance Shect shows the result of me year's operation5 ;is follow :--

Gross revenue from traffic branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lj7,!76 I j 5) Gross expenditure, including contribution to renewal fund 3 4 7 I 2 5 S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Surplus from traffic operations 3,164 S I P ro f i~ earned on construction of new lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ,000 o o

- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Available for distribution 4,164 S I

In accordance with the Trust's Act, the net profit is divisible between the Councils on a cZi.1 mileage basis as follows : --

(a) Car Mileage run in each Municipality from ~ s t October, 1911, to 30th Sep- tember, 191 2, inclusive : -

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Prahran 346,827

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Malvern 291,657 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of St. Kilda 32,752

Town of CauIheld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,726 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lity of Melbourne 589

(h) NenewaIs Reserve Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jf7,90j o o Rlamtenance Reserve Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 1 1 4

[cj The above Funds are invested in the undertaking

(d) The amounts payable to the hlunicipalities are as follows :- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Prahran gt.,o47 13 I I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Malvern 1 , 9 5

City of St. Kilda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . & I 9 3 7 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town of Caulfield A199 3 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Melbourne j t ; ~ 4 II

£4,164 8 1 . . . - -

-The Trust's Renewal Resene Fund now amounts to L7903, and the Maintenance Resene Fund to L373 11s. qd.

CGNSTRUCTION COST.

The Construction Account Balance Sheet shows the total cost of the undertaking to datc. i:lc]udillc ,&So00 ;111d L 5 0 ~ ~ , T r ~ i ~ t ' s contributiolis to regrading Brighton Railway line, and towards cost of Dandenong Road lmprovemcnt respectively, a t £182,560 12s. I O ~ .

NETV LINES OPENED FOR TRAFFIC During the year under reviertr, the following line and extension have been opened for

traffic : -

I)iQJDENONG ROAD LINE (ftom mtersectlon of JYattle Tree Road and Glenferrie Road, Mal- \ern, to intersectmn of Dctndeuon~ R o d and Chdpcl Street, Prahran, via Glenferr~e Road and Dandenong Road) Length of route, 2 31 mdes, double track Opened 16th December, 191 I

EXTENSION OF HIGH STREET LINE TO ST. KLDA ROAD. Length of route, ,177 ~lliles, double track Opened 14th September, 1912.

-[he total mileage of lines now in o\)er<~tion is 6.575 miles double and ,654 of a mile single irac I;, n~aking a total of 13.804 track miles.

13

POWER SUPPLY.

In accordance with agreement with the Melbourne Electric Supply Co. Ltd., the cost of current varies with the price of fuel and the number of units used.

During the year ended 30th September, 1912, it averaged 1.196 I,ence per unit, as against 1.246 per unit for the previous year.

FINANCE.

At date of this report a sum of ;t;195,500 had been borrowed on debentures from the Mel- bourne Tramway and Omnibus Co. Ltd., maturing on 31st March, 1914. The first ~~;IOO,OOO was obtained as par, but a premium of lo / - per cent. was received for all subsequent amounts. By arrangement, the Company will continue to purchase debentures at the same premium as the money is required up to a limit of it;250,000.

ROLLING STOCK.

In January, 1912, four bogie cars, having a seating capacity of 56 passengers, and in June, 1912, two semi-open cars, seating 50 passengers, were put into traffic, making a total of 2 6 cars. -1'enders have been called for the supply of 11 new type of bogie cars, and it is expected these will be ready for traffic early in 191 j. The construction of further cars will be undertaken in the near future.

CAR DEPOT, O F F I C E S AND BATTERY P L A N T

The new office accomnlodation building has been completed, and is fully utilised. A brick car repair and paint shop on the block of land on the northern side of Coldblo Road is approach- ing completion.

Three villas and vacant land, extending westward from the existing Car Depot to the corner of Lambeth Avenue, Malvern, having a total frontage of 342 feet to Coldblo Road by a depth of I 10 feet, have been purchased. Two of the villas were sold for removal, and plans are being prepared for an extension of the Car Depot to occupy the whole of the land available. If necessary, the building can be still further extended to Lambeth Avenue.

Arrangements have been made to provide additional power by the installation of two 300 K.\hi. motor generators in substitution for the existing JOO K.W. sets. This will raise the capacity of the plant from 500 K.W. to 900 K.W.

A Tudor Buffer Battery has also been ordered.

AMENDING ACT.

In order to provide for the necessary extension of the Trust's tramways, a Bill extending its borrowing powers to ;t;soo,ooo, has received the approval of the Cabinet and will be placed before Parliament at an early date.

EXTENSION O F T H E TRUST'S L I N E S

During the year an agreement was entered into between the Councils of the Cities of Mel- bourne and St. Kilda and the Trust, by which the Trust was authorised to extend its High Street line to St. Kilda Road The agreement provided that the cost of construction should be paid by the Trust and that the Melbourne and St. Kilda Councils should receive an annual payment on a car mile basis representing the profit earned on the extension, based uFon the average net profit per car mile earned upon the Trust's lines.

COMPARATIVE R E T U R N O F PASSENGERS CARRIED

It is interesting to note the very large increase in the number of passengers carried since the inception of the tramway service.

14

During 1910-1911 there were 3,805,843 passengers carried, or 889 journeys per head of population served ; in 1911-1912 this number was increased to 5,825,378 passengers, averaging I 19: :xmleys per head of population. This increase is 111 a measure due to the operation of the Dan- henclug Koad service, which was running for nine months of the last year, and also the increasing traffic between the l 'own Hall, Malvern, and Chapel Street, Prahran.

ATTENDANCES O F MEMBERS OF THE T R U S T .

During the year 33 meetings of the Trust have been held, and the attendances of Members were as follow : -

. . . . . . . . . . . . CHAIRMAN 31 CR. E. NAYLOR . . . . . . . . . 33 CR. A. J. W E L L E R . . . . . . 2

CR. F. H. G. CORNWALL I

CR. S. A. CHAMBERS . . 2

CR. H. F. BARNET . . . . . . 29 CR. W. R. THOMSON . . . 29 CR. T. E. KING . . . . . . . . . 26

STATISTICS.

The following is a summary of the Statistica ways for the years 1910-191 I and 191 1-1912 :-

Retired 3 ~ s t October, 191 I .

Retired 3 I st October, 191 I .

Retired 3 1st October, 191 I .

Appointed I st November, 191 I .



.1 information of the operations of the Tram-

1910-1 I . 1911-12. ... Total Borrowing Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ ~ O O , O O O £300,000

Total Borrowing Powers Exercised . . . . . . . . . . . . AI 21,500 . . . £195,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unexhausted Borrowing Powers £1 78,500 . . . 6104,500

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gross Capital Expenditure £1 36,920 ... £1 82,560

Mileage of Track-- 1910-191 I.--Single, 0.654 miles; Double, 4.088 miks Total Length of

Route, 4.742 miles. 191 I-1g12.-Single, 0.654 miles ; Double, 6.575 miles Total length of

Route, 7.229 miles. Population Served . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,000 ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traffic Revenue £25,945 ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Revenue f;26,3 14 ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working Expenses £16,5 I 8 ... . . . Interest on Capital Charged to Revenue Account £3,918

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Transfer to Renewals Reserve Fund E3,232 ... . . . Total Credit to Renewals Reserve Fund at 30th September, 1912

Credit to Maintenance Reserve Fund at 30th September, 191 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £112 ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Net Balance £3,377 ... Car Miles--Melbourne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - ...

... Prahran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247,825

... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malvern 220,899

j I St. Kilda ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -

, Caulfield ... - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

I) Total 468,724 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... C,ar Hours, Total 50,2 10

15

T, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nssengers Carried 3,805,843 Total Number of lTnits used for Traction . . . . . . 698,848

. . . . . . . . . . . . Number of Units used per Car Mile 1.491 Average Number of Cars in use Daily . . . . . . . . . '4

. . . Percentage of \\'orling Expenses to Receipts 62.772 . . . . . . . . . ilverage Traffic Revenue per Car Mile 13.284d. . . . . . . . . . j 1 ,, 1-er Car I-Iour 10s. 4d.

, ,, i~er Mile of Single Track £2,938 . . . . . . , ) I per Passenger I .636d.

. . . . . . . . . ;Iverage Total Revenue per Car Mile I3.473d. ,, Car Miles per Day

. . . .. Speed per Ilour ,, Car Hours per Day

, \Z'orking Expenses cluding Power

,, \Vorking Expenses clucling Power

Scales of Fares . . . . . . . . . . . .

per Car . . . . . . . . . 91.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Miles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I37 per Car Mile, ex- Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.509d. per Car Mile, in- Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . S.509d. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1d. ,2d .&3d.

Average Length of rd. Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.08 Miles. ,, Number of Passengers per Car Mile ... 8 119

,, Journeys per IIead of Population per annum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.5

Number of Cars in Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

191 1-12

5,825,378 1,039,049

1.472 I 8

63.584 r ~ 7 1 1 d .

10s. 4.5d.

A2,778 1.539d.

13.224d. I 06

10 Miles.

'97

6.636d.

S.4ogd. r d., 2d. & 3d. 1.102 Miles.

S.256

TRAMWAY STOPPING PLACES, HIGH S T R E E T

-The Prahran and Malvern Train\vays Trust has been urged by the Council, supported by tradespeople and others in the vicinity, to st013 the trams on both sides of Chapel Street, instead of only one side as a t present, in consequence of the inconvenience to passengers in having to cross both streets in the presence of fast-moving traffic, but the Trust refused to make any alteration in the system, on the ground that it was only a matter of getting passengers accustonled to the habit, 2nd the luss of electricity which resulted in the too frequent stopping of the trams. The Council is still of opinion that a considerable and unnecessary risk is involved in requiring passengers to hoard the t r m 3 at only one stopping place, at such a busy intersection.

IIODDLE S T R E E T TRAMWAY S T KlLDrZ TO CLIFTON WILL

A Conference of representatives of the Prahran, St. Kilda, Xelbourne, Richmond and Col- lingwood Municipalities, convened at the instigation or this Council, has held a number of meetings for the purpose of considering a proposal to construct a line of electric trarnways along Hoddle Street, from the St. Kilda Esplanade, via Robe Street, Barlily Street, Hoddle Street, to Clifton I-IiIl, also along Church Street f rml Tooral; Road to Gipps Street, connecting with EIoddle Street a t Collingwood, with a branch line a!on:< Swan Street ixtween Chuxh S t r e t and I-Ioddle Street.

The following p r e l m l ~ n a r ~ ~ report \\.as subm~tted by l l r H. S Dix, the Engineer a n d Manager of the Prahran and Malvern Tramways 'Trust, and the Conference resolved that n full report, giving details of the whole xheme, should be obtained before any recomiuendation is mad(. to the Councils interested.

The Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust has, therefore, been requested to prepare a full report, giving detailed estimates of the cost of the scheme.

City of Prahran-From "The Towers," Toorak.

Hoddle Street Tramway, St. Kilda to Clifton Hill.-coniirrried.

Gentlemen ,-

I n acordance with your instructions, I have pleasure in submitting a preliminary report on the propmed scheme of the Cities of Prahran, Melburne, St. Kilda, Richmond and Collingwood for the construction of an electric tramway from the Esplanade, St. Kilda, vin Puilt Road and Hoddle Street t o Clifton Hill, with a further line via Chapel and Church Streets, from Toorak Road tu Victoria Street, connecting with the Hoddle Street line by way of Swan Street. Richmond.

This scheme, as a 1% hole, involves t h e construction of approximately 8.16 route mlles of tramway, and from the denbitv of population and character of the districts served, it may be safely assumecl that doublt track will be required throughout.

For the whde of this route, with the exception of a portion of Swan Street. Rich- mond (about 500 yards in length), the standard form of track construction as adopted upon the Trust's present lines, would be, 1 think, suitable. For the portion of ~Swan Street, which is a t present IT-ood blocked, the only variation in method I should recommend, would he the provision of a bed of concwte of suitable dimensions around the rails and sleepers. to Re finished off a t the correct height, and with the requisite camber for the reception of t he blocks.

The capital cost of these proposed lines vould therefore ~ ~ o r k out something as follo\\.s : -

Punt Road and Hoddle Street line, from St. Kilda terminus a t the Esplanade, t o the intersection of the Heidelberg Road a t Clifton Hill-5.67 miles.

('ost of Permanent \Yay and Orerhead Construction of similar character to Trust's present lines-£60,100.

To this must be added the cost of resuniiug property in St. Kilda to connect Harkly Street with Robe Street.

The cost of any specia; re-arrangekent or alteration that might be necessary t c ~ the cable tracks and gear a t the .Junction, St. Rilda, and the cost of a new bridge over the Yarra a t P u n t Road :-

Church Street and Chapel Street line, from Victoria Street to Toorak Road- 2 Ciles.

& s t of Permanent Wag and Overhead Construction-£21,200.

-1s the rcplaceineat of t he bridge a t the present existing over the Yarra is a awes- sit? for the ordinary traffic of the district. o d y such proportion of the cost of any new \,ridge as may be 'directly referable to tramwa,? requirements, p . g . , extra width, should bc debited to tramway construction.

Swan Street, from Church Street to Hoddle Street-& mile.

Cost of Permanent \Yay and Overhead Construction, including an allowance for concrete and wood blocking for npproximatelg 500 yards-£7800,

The total cost would be, therefore, less extraordinary expenditure in the items above snumerated-

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Punt Road to H d d l e Street £60,100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Churcl~ an'd Chapel Streets 21,200

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swan S t r ~ e t 7.800

£89,100

17

Hoddle Street Tramway to St. Kilda-continued.

The proportionate capita! interests of the various Municipalities wou!d he approximately: -

St . Kilda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.7 per cent. P r a h r a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.03 per cent. Melbourne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.6 per cent. Richmond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34.69 per cent. Collingwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.98 per cent.

100.00 per cent.

Population #Served.-From statist ics supplied by the Officers of the various Municipalities ooncexed, t he projected hnes would serve a population (resident within quarter-mile of t h e routes) of about 56,800 The revenue per head of population served on the lines operated by the Trus t dur ing t h e r e a r 1911 n a s slightly more t h a n 12s. (the population statist ics in th l s case being computed 012 the basis of number of inhabited houses within half-a-mile of t he .tramwnys plus five).

I consider, however, t h a t i n the mere central area served by the projected lines, a qua r t e r of a mile a n each s ide of the route is a safer figure t o estimate upon, and ic will mill be observed t h a t even on the more restricted hasis, an annual revenue of rE34,080 is foreshadowed.

Rolling Stock and Operation.-I should anticipate the necessity of providing for a fairly heavy maximum service on these lines dur ing cer ta in hours of each day, and to provide for a 3%-minute headway nonld require ahout 30 cars (in service), or say, with necessary spares, 35.

Owing to the (length of t he route and t h e magnitude of the service, i t would not be economical or indeed possible to operate the whole from the p r a e n t dep6t in Malvern.

t'he portion of the proposed routes, South of High Street , could probably be operated a s portion of the existing system, but with the extensions immediately i n view in Kew, Hawthorn, Malvern, Caulfield and St . Kllcla, t he ca r sheds, generating station and workshops, when extended t o the limit of the land available, will. I anticipate, be fullr utilized.

I am, Gentlemen,

Yours faithfully,

H. S. DIX, Engineer a n d Manager.

Metropolitan Tramways.

One of the most important matters the Council has had to consider during the year was the Bill to incorporate the Municipal Tramways Trust for Melbourne and Suburbs.

The facts that the lease to the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Co. Ltd., of the existing cable and horse tramway system will expire in 1916, and that large extensions of and improvements in the present tramway system are absolutely necessary to meet the requirements of the City and suburbs, render it imperative that the Municipalities interested should take immediate action in order to establish, at as early a period as possible, a Municipal Tramway system which will provide for these requirements.

'The whole matter was fully debated by Conferences of the inner and outer Municl- palities, and in November, 1910, the Conferences submitted a Joint Report, affirming the principle, "Tha t the future of the Tramway system and its development and extension should be on the lines of one Metropolitan Municipal Tramway system."

I t was pointed out that the present system was introduced over 25 years ago, when the densely-populated residential area was ccmfined to a much smaller radius from the City, but the growth and development of the Municipalities surrounding the City, coupled with the greater and more economical possibilities of electric traction, make it necessary that the body to control and manage the tram system of the future should now include the Suburban Municipalities outside the area of the existing Tramways Trust.

It is therefore proposed to constitute a Trust, representative of the Municipalities named in the report, such Trust to have vested in it thc wholme of the Existing Tramway system, all extensions and additions throughout all the Municipalities mentioned, and (with the consent of the Councils interested, and on such terms as may be mutually arranged) all other street -tram systems within those districts.

In dealing with the constitution of the Trust, it was considered that as small a body as possible compatible with the importance of the work of the Trust, would prove more efficient and less cumbersome than a large body representative of all the Municipalities individually.

This necessitated a grouping of the Muicipalities, and in the formation of such groups care was exercised to include in each group, as far as possible, Municipalities belonging to both inner and out'er Areas, thus combining, in each representative, responsibility for the interests of both Areas. It will be observed that there are in all, eight groups, in addition to the City of Melbourne.

In dealing with the question of representation. the principle of the voting strength of the respective Councils being fixed generally on the basis of population, was considered to be one which would be acceptable to the citizens and prove equitable in the futur'e as between what are now called the Inner and Outer Municipalities. At the same time it was recagnised that the present large vested interests of the Inner Area Municipalities in the existing Tramway system entitled them to claim, that, at the inception of the Trust, the representatives should be chosen from their Councils in those groups which combined both Inner and Outer districts.

The scheme therefore provides that during the currency of the existing lease to the Tram- way Co, and until the next annual election thereafter of members of the Trust, the representatives of each group shall be a member of the Council in the group which is at the present time represented on the existing Tramways Trust.

'To meet the possible contingency of an earlier termination of the Tramway Company's Lease, it is provided that this proviso is to remain in force for three years. A special concession of Five years is made in the case of the Fitzroy Council. Thereafter, nomination will be open to every Council in any group.

Members of the Trust are to hold office for three years, and there are to be elections in three of the groups each year, thereby keeping th- new body in touch with the Councils.

The Chairman to be a member of the Trust, elected annually to that position by his fel- l ow-members.

The Trust is to be formed at the earliest possible date, that is to say, as soon as the Councils to whom the scheme is now being presented have approved thereof, and the necessary Act of Parliament has been obtained. It is important, therefore, that the matter should be dealt with Ily the Councils as early as possible.

Immediately upon the formation of the Trust, its work will begin, and it will be its duty to deal with the construction of new lines in both inner and outer suburbs, as well as the management of any existing lines as they may come under the control of the Trust.

19

The 'Trust must decide as to the lines to be laid down, also as to the recom struction or conversion of existing lines into electric traction, and generally take the responsibility of carrying out all necessary works.

In order, however, that the work of developing any part of a Municipal district may not be unduly postponed in cases where the Trust decline to lay down lines which a Council considers necessary in and for the benefit of its own district, provision is made for the Council interested to carry out the work subject to a mutual agreement being previously entered into between the Council and the Trust, or the terms and conditions being previously settled by the arbitration tribunal referred to later.

The financial clauses of the Scheme call for careful attention. It is provided that the whole of the required capital is to be raised by the Trust, and that, as regards the cost of the permanent way construction or alteration, the same is to be charged up against the Municipality within whose territory the line is situate, the Council of such Municipality to repay to the Trust the interest and instalments of sinking fund annually, and the amount thereof to be a charge upon the Municipal Fund.

As regards works common to the system as a whole, such as power houses, car barns, etc., the cost thereof is to be a general charge upon the system as a whole, the interest and instalments of Sinking Fund and all usual capital charges to be part of the general expenses of the Trust.

As regards the receipts and expenses on the working of the System, the pooling principle is proposed: that is to say, there is to be one common fund, and each Municipality is to share therein according to the car mileage run withln its borders, and any losses on working are to be borne in the same proportion. Under this System it is quite possible that a Municipality may draw a dividend from the profits of the System as a whole, although the line or lines in its own territory may for the time be working at a loss.

The management of the work of the Trust is to be entrusted to a well-paid General Manager, with expert assistants in all departments, the general control and supervision always re- maining with the Trust itself.

The question of fares was looked upon by the Joint Conference as a most important one in the interests of the individual citizen, and they felt that its importance warranted them in laying down a t the outset that there shall be sectional fares on all lines, with through fares between the City and the terminus of each line, and that the tickets to be issued should be universal or available on any of the lines of the whole system.

It was felt that in the maturing of such an immense Schen~e as that proposed, matters must arise which cannot be anticipated and urovided for, but in regard to which there may be a difference of opinion between individual Councils and the Trust ; and it was thought that these matters can be best and adequately provided for by means of a friendly arbitration tribunal, the constitution of which will t.2 agreed upon as part of the Scheme.

This proposal was fully considered by the Council, and approved on the 5th December, 1910.

The Draft Bill was afterwards submitted for consideration by the Constituent Councils, and the Council decided to recommend the Conference to approve of the Bill subject to the following alterations and amendments, viz. :-

Metropolitan Trarnways--co)ltin14~~d.

INCORPORATION AND CONSTITUTION OF TRUST.

That as there does not appear to be any justification for giving the City of Melbourne three representatives, provision be made for the City to he represented on the Trust by not more than two of i ts members.

UHAIRMAN

That the Oha~rrnan to be nppolnted shall not be a member either of the Trust or of any Council, and tha t he be paid a salary sufficient to ensure absolute efficiency, and to enable him to devote his whole time to his duties.

REFUSE DESTRUCTOR.

That the Clause authorising the 'Trust to collect refuse and establish rubbish destructors he excised from the Bill.

NEW LINES.

'That the Councd expre\s its strong disapproval of the Clause which provides t h a t each of the Municipalities shall be llable t o pay the Trust annually interest and sinking fund on the cost of alteration and constructmn of all new lines constructed in such Municipnlities by the Truot; and t h a t the Conference be recommended to insert a clause proridlng that the whole of the revenue shall be made available for pxying interest land sinking fund, working expenses, and provision of renewal reserve funds on all lines, whether they are already established or extensions constructed by the Trust for a Municipality, and tha t the ?rIe:ropolitan Tramway System be treated as a whole, as any part of i t in any individual Municipality will, in the opinion of this Council, benefit not only that particular area, but the whole of the areas served by the system, provided tha t mterest, slnklng fund, etc., shall not be paid out of the general revenue on lines, the construction of which the Trust disapproves, until the 'Trust agrees to accept the extension (as a part of the whole scheme of tramways.

POWER OF T R U S T

This sub-section was amended by the addition of the following words :-

The Trust shall have power to break open or alcer the surface or level of any road after obtaining the written consent of the road authority.

In view of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Tramway fares revision, that the Government should enter into negotiations with the R4elbourne Tramway and Omnibus C o m p a n ~ ~ for the purchase of its undertaking, and constitute a tramway authority for the whole of the metropolitan area, independent of the claims or interests of any particular Municipality, it becomes the duty of this and the other hletropolitan llunicipalites to take immediate action to secure for the ratepayers and citizens the future control of the tramway systmem, which is theirs by inheritance, the tramways are the property of the Municipalities, who were made liable for the whole of the Capital required for the original construction of the lines. The Company leased them from the Munici- palities for a term of years, ending in 1916, and we are therefore looking forward to resuming our own property at the end of that term.

Proposed Greater Melbourne Council. A Conference of representatives of the hletropolitan Municipalities has this year been

considering a scheme for the constitution of a Metropolitan Municipal Authority to administer and control such public utility services as are common to the Melbourne Metropolitan area.

After several meetings, the following proposal was submitted to the Councils for consideration : -

NAME 'The Authority shall be named the Greater Melbourne Council.

Proposed Greater Melbourne Council.-Co//tinued.

SERVICES T O B E ADMINISTERED AND CONTROLLED.

Water Supply and Sewerage. Tramways. Fire Brigades. Electricity Supply.

Gas Supply. Rivers and Streams Licensing of Public Conveyalices Weights and Measures. Cemeteries and Crematoria.

AREA.

The area shall include the municipal districts of Melbourne, Prahran, South Melbourne, Fitzroy, Richmond, St. IGlda, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Brunswick, Essendon, Footscray, Malvern, Caulfield, Camberwell, Brighton, Northcote, Kew, Port Melbourne, Williamstown, Coburg, Oak- leigh, Moorabbin, Preston, Heidelberg (Ivanhoe, Fairfield and Heidelberg Ridings), Nunawading, Mulgrave.

QUALIFICATION O F ELECTORS.

The qualification of Electors shall be the same as under the " Local govern men^ Act 1903." except that no elector shall have more than one vote in any one electorate, nor \.ate in any more than one electorate on the same day.

ELECTORATES.

Each Municipal district shall have an electorate.

REPRESENTATIVES.

The representatives shall be called Councillors.

QUALIFICATION O F COUNCILLORS.

The qualification of Councillors shall be the same as under the "Local Government Act 1 903."

ELECTlON O F COUNCILLORS

Each Electorate shall return one Councillor, and for every 10,ooo of population abo\e the first 10,000, shall return an additional Councillor. The 191 I Census returns to be adopted as the basis for the first election, and any alteration in the number of Councillors to be returned, consequent on an increase or decrease in population in any electorate, shall only be made after each subsequent census.

NO PLTJMPING.

Electors when voting shall record their votes for the full number of candidates to 1,e elected.

T E N U R E OF OFFICE.

Councillors shall hold office far four years, but ~f the number of Councillors rcpresentiri,: any Electorate be greater than one, then the highest integral number being not greater than onr half of these, and who shall have received the Iowest number c& votes shall retire at the end of the first two years.

22

HONORARY COUNCILLORS.

The office of Councillor shall be Honorary.

CHAIRMAN.

A Chairman shall be elected by the Council from their own number, and shall hold office for two years.

RATING. The Council shall have power to make and levy a Metropolitan General rate of not

exceeding 2/6 in the .&-.

BORROWING POWERS.

The Council shall have granted to it ample borrowing powers

The Council shall have all powers necessary for carrying out the above-named services, and shall have power to extend the same beyond its area with the consent of the bodies interested.

This Council after full consideration approved of the scheme subject to the following amendments and alterations, viz. :--

SERVICES. Al l s torm w a k r channels a n d sewers es tending lwyond one Municipality should be

added.

bHEA. The area shall mcludc the n111111c1pal districts non 1nc111ded in t he , j l l r id l r t ion of

Jlelhoarne and Metropolitan Rnard of Worka.

QUA1,FICATIONS O F ELECTORS. The Council disapproves t hc one-e1ccto1-orie-\rote proposal. and will agree to t h e

q~lalif ication of .lectors h e ~ n g t h c s a m e as under t h e " Loral Government Act 1903."

13OKRO\\'INU POWERS. The Greater Melbourne Council to h a r e granted t o i t ample burrowing powers,

subject t o proper l imitations.

At the final meeting of the Conference on the J ~ t h July, 1912, it was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Russell (Hawthorn), seconded by Co~incillor Nicolson (P rah rm-

" Tha t t he scheme and repor t as snhmitted to t h e Councils, together with the answers s en t by t h e Councils, be forwarded t o t he EIonouralile t h e Premier , with a request t h a t t h e Government prepare a Bill for a G w a t e r Melbourne Council."

By-Laws and Regulations. The following By-Laws and Regulations were made and passed by the Council during

i he year : -

BY-LAW No. 13% BLASTING. For prohibiting Qua r ry~ng or blasting operations throughout the City

of Prahran.

BY-LAW No. 133, B ITILDING REGITLATIONS, DANDEWONG ROAD. For regulating and restraining the erection or construction of buildings

and erections in Dandenong Road.

BY-LAW No 134, E L E C T R I C S IGNS For the purpose of regulating or prohib~ting the erection of electrlc signs

over any footpath, street or road in the City.

By-Laws avd Regulations.-continued.

R E G U L A T I O N No. 52, SMYTH S T R E E T .

Prohibition of wooden buildings.

R E G U L A T I O N No. 53.

Prohibition of wooden buildings in area bounded by Chomley Street, High Street, Orrong Road and Dandenong Road.

KEGULATION No. 54, SYDNEY S T R E E T .

Prohibition of wooden buildings.

CITY BUILDIXGS

Revised Scale of Charges and Conditions for hire of City Buildings.

Main Drainage Scheme. One of the most important matters dealt with during the year was the question of effecting

improvements to the Main Drain, and its various tributories throughout the City. After th,e flood of February, 1911, caused by an abnormal downpour of rain, it was felt that the time had arrived when the drains, although of sufficient carrying capacity a t the time of their construction many years ago, required enlarging and altering in consequence of the large increase in building, not only in Prahran, but also in Malvern, a considerable nortion of whose area is drained into Prahran, and also the miles of paved streets and roads which collmect and drain off at a faster rate the water which finds its way to the Main Drain.

A Sub-committee was appointed to confer with the City Surveyor, and report upon the best means of improving the drainage of the City, so a s to prevent, as far as possible, any unnecessary flooding of property.

The following report, with appendices, was submitted by the Conlmittee, of which C O U ~ cillor A. A. Holdsworth was Chairman, and was thereupon adopted by the Council, loan funds were immediately raised, many of the works are now in hand, and plans are being prepared for others, in their order of urgency :-

Storm Water Drainage of the City of Prahran. REPORT O F THE SUB-COMMIITEE.

To the Mayor and Councillors. Gentlemen,-

Your Committee begs to report t ha t , in accordance with the instructions recelved from the Council, i t has gone carefnllg into the general question of t h e City's drainage. with t h e view of providing some relief t o thosc pa r t s of the City most liable to suffer damage by flood waters, and has also considered the proposal to divert t he waters flowing in to t h e main dra ln by the const ruct~on of a branch sener , and the cost of same.

The City Surveyor has submitted to the Committee elaborate diagrams of the drainagch areas of the City,, and also t h e capacity of sewers t o deal with the ordinary and flood waters, together with calculations bearing upon ordinary and abnormal rainfalls based on t h e experience of weather conditions dur ing the pas t 50 years, and from th- your Committee has been enabled t o arrive a t a definite conclusion, together with certain recommendations for the consideration of the Council.

I n order to afford t h e Council some ~ d w of the positions of t he various main sewers and branches, a short descript,ion of each d ramage area is given, together with the a~creage in each case, and these m e shown in distinctive colours on Plan " A . " which accompanies th is report .

The natura l boundaries of these areas have been, t o some extent , modified by the forliiation of streets and two lines of railway.

24

I n dealing with storm water, it is generally advisable to construct the main channels in the natural valleys In order to lead the water to its natural outlet in t h e quickest manner, and t h ~ s method has been folloned in respect to existing drains as far as practicable. having in men thc altered conditions caused by constructional road and railway work.

The water sheds with their arras are as follows:-

1. The main dramage area, comprising an area In Malvern of 313 acres, nn,d in I'rahran of 1281 acres. or a t,otal of 1595 acres.

This area is coloured pink and red on plan.

This area is served by the Main Dram. which closely follows a natural valley in r. northwesterly direction from Kooyong Road north of railway crossing, to the River -- i a r r a a t Yarr:t Street. The main drain is fed by a number of branch and subsidiary drains, the principal of these being: -

a . .I new drain constructed by the Itailw-ay Department with a drainage of 223 acres. This drain junctions with the Main Drain a t the intersection of Orrong and Lamhert Roads.

1). Williams Road branch drain, with an area of 113 acres.

c . 'L'he Centrid branch draiu. I; ~ t h a n area of 412 acres, which has i ts junction with the open drzin south of Toorak Road, near Surrey Road.

d. The Chapel Street drain. trith an area of 27 acres, which enters the main drain at the bridge.

The dr,aia along Yarra Street? which drains an area of about 180 acres in South Yai-ra, chiefly west of the Brighton railway line, is als,o in the same natural watershed, f!ut as its junction with the mein drain occurs close to the outlet of the latter a t t h e Yarra, i ts influelice upon thc main drain is not felt to any appreciable extent, anjd i t mag be considered as an independent drain.

2. This area (coloured yellon on Plan " -4 ") contains 215 acres in the southwest corner of the City hetween High Street and Wellington Street, and extends from Williams Road an the east to P u n t h a d on the west. This area 1s served by the Union Street dram.

3. Area 3, mainly to t h e nest of the Brighton railway, and shown in brown colour on Plan " A," includes 180 acres in Prahran and 20 acres from the P u n t Hdl dlstrlct of Melbourne City. Thesouthern part of this ares i r , the locality of F n n l i n ~ r Street is one of the flattest, and the part north of Toorak Road one of the steepest areas in the City, the streets entering Toorak Road from the north having a gradient as steep as 1 in 10. It 1s properly par t of the main drain watershed, but the natural outlet has been obstructed and diverted by the railway near the South Yarra ~ t a t l o n . The several branch drains servlng this area junction in the locality ot the South Par ra rallway station, and discharge into the Yarra Street dram.

4. Area 4, tinted blue on plall, is a comparatively flat area in the College Lawn district. The two branch drains serving this district junction in P u n t Road a t Commercial Road, and discharge into a 2 feet 6 inch barrel drain, tunn.ng west throngh the City of Melbourne.

5. A small area of 22 acres, skirting Dandenoiig Road, betweeu Chomley Street and the Brighton railway. The surface street channeladischarge into an inlet on the north side of Dandenong Road, west of Hornby Street, whence the drainage is carried across Dandenong Road i n a culvert 2 feet x 1 foot 1 inch, and carried into St . Kilda via Alma Park.

6. This area, ooloured green on plan, contains 36 acres in the north-east portion of the City, and is served by two drains discharging directly into the River Yarra near the Heyington railway station.

7 . Area 7 comprises 233 zcres in Toorak, north of Toorak Rsa~d, and is traversed by a natural gully, commencing a t Worrigoleen Road, and crossing Toorak, LanseU, Orrong and Grange Roads in a north-westerly direction to its natural outlet a t the River in the Balmerino Estate.

In event of the proposed Canterbury-road rellef drain being constructed, i t will junction with the drain serving this area a t the existing culvert in Grange Road, and as a drain must eventually be required from this point t o the River, the proposed relief drain would here serve a douhle purpose.

8. This area consists of 89 acres in Toorak on the northern boundary of the City. extending from Kensington Road on the West anmd Wallace S t ~ e e t and Lucretia Avenue on the east, and from the crown of the main drain watershed a little to the sonth of Rathmines Street.

ALLOWANCE TO RE PUOTTII>ED FOR IN C,APACITY O F EXISTING DRAIN.

From reports by the late Mr. Geo. Gordon, M.I.C.E.. and former Surveyors, it is found that the allorvancc oT rainfall t o be carried off in designing existing sewers was from one-third of an inch to three-quarters of all inch, which latter is the maximum.

I n the Cit j of Melbourne all ~~llowance of 1 inch per hour is provided for. 111

Camberwell, from I+ inches for areas up to six acres to 0.50 inch, for an area of 150 acres; Colilngwood 2 inch, Caulfield $ inrh for areas exceeding 640 acres, to 2/3rds inch for areas under 20 acres; Hawthorn, ahout + inch average for e x i ~ t i n g drains, allowance of 1 inch t o be made for future drains; J la lwrn , from f inch to 1 inch and 12 inch for small areas; St . Kilda, present oaparity. from 4 inch to # inch.

MINIMUM DISCHARGE OF ONE INlCH P E R HOUR RECOMMENDED.

Having regard to the whole circumstanrcs, as pointed ou t hy the City Surveyor, ~t is therefore recommended that in all norks for new or relieving drains a minimum discharge of 1 inch per hour he allawed for in the larger areas, and that this allomancc be greater in special instances as small closely-built areas of steep slopes.

The discharging capacities ot the drains have been computed by Ganguillet and Kutter's formula with co-efficients (" n ") for brickwork of .014, and for masonry .02. In tho estimates for the new drainage works a s recommended hereafter, the 1 inch per hour standard has been adopted throughout.

AREA I. THE MAIN DRAIN

On the assumption that thc 1 inch per hour standard IS reasonable. and if the parts of the drain which comeyithin a margin of 15 per cent. of that standard be considered adequate, then the different scrtions of the main drain mar be divided into the following three dasses : -

1. Adequate, or sufficient to cove with all but phenomenal rains.

2. Fairly adequate. vr snfficient to carry off ordinary rain storms, hut subject to overflow n6th heavy rains, which may reasonably be expected, hnt at somewhat long intervals.

3. Inadequate. or subject to overflow, and which cause flooding with ordinary heavy showers falling a t the rate of 1 inch per hour or more, and con- tinuing for a period of 10 minutes or longer.

If the Observatory records ss tabulated in A p p c d i x " A " be studied, such rains may be expected on an averags of tnice annually, and in some cears we havc experienced five such rains.

26

With this classification : -

5545 feet of the main drain would come under Class 1. 2200 feet would come under Class 2, and 1475 feet would come under Class 3 ;

or of the total length of 9220 feet of drain. 60 per cent is Adequate. 24 per cent. is Fairly Adequate. 16 per cent. is Inadequate.

To bring the wllole of the main drain up to the standard of Class 1 would be a aomewhat difficult and expensive problem, and would necessitate the reconstruction of the drain for practically half its length of 1% miles.

On the other hand, if only the Sections under Class 3 were reconstructad, to comply with the 1 inch standard, the Council would be perpetuating the system of piece- meal construction, which i s responsible for par t of the present unsatisfactory condition of the main drain.

To brmg the \I hole of the &[am Drain up to the I-lnch standard would necessitate the reconstruction or enlargement of 40 per cent. of the whole length, and but slight consideration is needed to realisr that this would be a formidable proposition beset by many difficulties.

Of the whole length of the drain between Kooyong and Toorak Roads, approximately 2350 feet, or about one-quarter of the distance is within drainage reserves, of which the Council has the freehold, 3779 feet is along or across public roads, and the balance of 3100 feet or over one-third is in private property.

To begin with, 31M) feet, covering some of the defective portions of the drain, runs through private property, and is covered in many places with dwellings and other buildings. I n some cases i~ would be impracticable to enlarge the present drains, and it would be necemary to purchase the right t o duplicate the drairi. !his ivouid necessitate land purchase, and the attendant expense of surveys and legal costs. Also t h e works would be attended with great difficulty, owing t~ ?he risk of rain and floods while in progress, and the difficulty of diverting the surface and flood waters.

Where the drains traverse or cross strcets and roads, the levels in some instances nould not admit of enlargement or raisino; of the crown of the drains. I n such cases new drains would require t o be constructed. It is difficult t o arrive a t a n accurate estimate of the costs of works of this nature, and no detailed estimates have been prepared for enlarging the whole of the existing drains to the standard, and owing t o the difficulties mentioned, your Committee has been influenced to recommend the construction of diverting drains, which course recommends itself for many reasons.

DIVERTING D R A W CANTERBURY ROAD.

A very important consideration in favour of diversion works is the fact t h a t in event of henvy local rains o r c u r r i ~ ~ g in the main drain catchment a t a time when the River Yarra is in flood, the lower levels in the locality of Surrey Road, Toorak Road .lnd River Street wou1.d be relieved by the diverting drains of a considerable volume of local flood water from the higher levels, and no increase in oapacity of the main drain in this 1015-lying locaaity would prevent flooding under the above conditions.

I t is, therefore, recommended tha t a main diverting drain be constructed taking off from the drain in Lamhert Road with a suitable curve, and running northwards along Canterbury Road and Grange Road to the natural drainage valley, which crosses the latter road north of Bruce Strect, thence through private property to the River Yarra.

This proposed drain would be a 6-feet barrel, with a capacity of 440 c.f.s., and a total length of 3750 feet. I t would divert the drainage from 400 .acres above the take off, and its construction aould render i t nnnecessary to alter or enlarge any portion of the existing covered drain between Canterbury and Surrey Roads, as the warst sectioii would then be over the standard requirement with a margin of 30 c.f.s, or 6 per cent. on the right side.

The estimated cost of this diverting drain is g15,200.

DIVER'TING DRAIN. ELM GROVE.

Above the proposed dlvers~on a t Canterbury Road therc are the sections between Northcote Road and Rose Street (Sec 4), and from Clendon Road to Orrong Road In order to relleve t h e x sections ~t IS recommended tha t a short d~ver t ing drain 3 feet in diameter be constrncted, t?klnc of? from the mmn dram at Nor~hcote Road to the lien d r a ~ n constrncted by the R a ~ l n ~ i v Depxrtment a t Beatty -4vennc As the radway drain IS l a ~ d a t a ro~~s~dera l ) le deprh nt this point, n good fall (1 in 30) can he obtained for the. diverting drains, whlch nould have a dlscharylng capaclty of 150 c.f.s \Vlth this relief the d r a ~ n betneen the off take and 01ro11g Road nould meet the 1-inch standard.

The ra~lway drain is 6 feet 3 lnches i11 dlameter a t the proposed junction, and as i t has been designed to carry a discharge of 1.8 inch per hour running off, the ctapacity is dmple. The estimated cost of this relieving drain is £350.

OUIiVERT ORRONG ROAD.

If this rel~ef drain be not constr~rctecl, ~t ~ 1 1 1 be essential to enlarge ot reconstruct the whole of Sections 4. 6 and 7 , heing the 4 feet 6 inch barrel drain between Northcote Road and Rose Street, and from Cdendon Road across Malvern Road, and through Mandeville Estate to Orrong Hoad, the total length of these sections being 1430 feet, a t an estimated rost of approximately 24000, or optionally t o reconstruct Sections 4 and 6, and construct a direl-ting dralu n-estward from the main drain along Malvern Road to the r a ~ l ~ a - rlrarn in 01 roug Ro.td. n hich would amount to about the same cost.

Even if this propose~l crlrain he constracted~ it will he necessary to reconstruct the stone culvert across Orrour< R m d , a l ~ e a d y referred to, a t an estimated cost of £235

BRANCH DRAIN .\I.iLVERN ROAD.

I n addition to these proposed works your Committee would recommend the laying of a 2 feet 9 inch branch drain, about riO0 feet in length from the pipe drain, which drains the locality of Iona Avenue, Toorak, and across Clendon Road to discharge into the main drain before i t enters the Mandeville Estate. Onmg to the steep incline of the street falling towards the ~ntersectinn of Clendon and Malvern Roads, and the volume of surface water being delivered a t t h ~ s point, the open street channels a re incapable of carrying the flood a a t e r mhich mashes across and scours the roads in this locality. The estimated cost of this drain is £400.

The proposed branch drain from Malvern Road beneath the railway t o Orrong Road has already been anthorised bv this Council, and sanctioned by the R d w a y Depart- ment. This drain is estimated t o cost £160.

These recommendations deal ni th the whole of the main ,drain from Kooyong Road to the open drain a t Surrey Road, and ~f carrled into effect would relieve the valley through which i t passes from ana risk of flooding under all bnt abnormal rain storms.

The total cost of the prol~.osed works as rerommended is as follows:-

. . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Diversion Drain in Elm Grove g350 . . . . . . . . . 2. Branch Drain in Malvern Road 400

. . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Culvert crossing Orrong Road 235 4. Diversion Drain, Canterbury Road . . . . . . . . . 15,200

Total cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,185

If the Malvern Council 15 I~able for a proportion of the cost of these relief drains on the same basis as in the case of the former award i n connection with the lower main drain, thew contribution nould he 2-l.iths of £15.785, or, sag, £2100.

LOWER MAIN DRAIN.

Below Surrey Hoad the Councll has already decided to enlarge and cover the open drain bet,meen Surrey and Toorak Roads, which is the worst section of the drain and that demanding the Council's earliest attention. The construction of the main drain from Chapel Street to the River ia still in abeyance, pending negotiations between the Council and the Department of Land and Works.

It would also be advisable t o improve the existing open drain passing beneath Toorak Road, and through private property to River Street, together with the construction of a branch drain in Toorak Road from the main drain eastward to Kensington Road.

28

h u n g heavy rams a considerable volume of surface water is dehvered at the valley In I'oorak Road. Thls has been particularly uoticeable smce the conetruction of Rackley Road, and the nem streets in the Como Estate, nnd i t nould be advisable t o take the dlschaige from the surface channels of these streets underground. Owing to the low level of the main d r a ~ n nhere ~t crosses Tooralq Road (7.34 feet above low water datum), this hranch drain nould not relieve Toornk Road from flooding, i f the water in the main dram happened to be backed up on In!: to a flood in the Yarra, but i t would deal with purely local rains, and mould be still morc effect~vc i f the inam drain be relieved by the proposed diversion a t Canterbury Road, and ~f the open dralii flom Toorak Road to River Street were sllghtly deepened and improved as suggested above. The estimated cost of this drain 1s £650.

I n the proposed works betneen Snrrey Road and the River Yarra the plans provide for ample capaclty ro carry off local rains, but as previously stated, should the River Yarra be In flood simultaneously with a flooding of the drain through local rains, no drainage norks which the Council could in reason construct would prevent flooding of tenement8 in the lower It.ve;ls betveen Surrev Road and the River Yarra. The invert level of the drain a t Surrey Road is lees than 9 feet above low water datum in Hobson's Bay. Tho floor level of the rottages adjoininq the main drain in Surrey Road is 16 ft., and 111 River Street the floor level of quite a tiumber is only from 12 to 13 f t . above datum.

D u r ~ n g the floods of 1891 thc Parra at the Gremorne railway bridge rose to a height of 22.91 feet above lorn water datum, but since the Yarra improvemenb have been clarried ou t i t is estimated that with weather conditions similar t o those causing the floods of 1891, the river flood level mould be reduced by nine feet, or, say, 14 feet above low water datum. Even nnder these improved conditions the flooding of these premises would be inevitabk.

The plan marked " 8," submitted with this report shows the areas subject to flooding from the River cross hatched in green lines.

As i t would probably cotst less to purchase these flood areas than t o construct works and maintain a plant such as nould render them immune from flooding, it is recommended that the areas below 14 feet low v ater datum be proclaimed areas liable to flooding.

AREA 1C.

This area is the largest loranch area of the main drain water shed, and in,cludes an area of 412 acree, which extends as far south as the corner of Dandenong and Wattle- t ree Roads.

Flooding has occarred in the following localities:-From the manhole in depot adjoining destructor, in Simmons Street, in Weigall Street (the severest overflow occurring on February 5th) a t the open drain north of Malvern Road. anfd in the locality of Princes, King and Bendigo Streets.

As there have been no serious complaints of flooding In the upper part of this area south of High Street, consideration of the south branch drain has been mainly confined t o the portion between Malvern Road and the junction, with the main drain south of Toorak Road, which consists of eleven (11) different sections of varying form and capacity, and like the main drain there is no continuity of gradient or cross sectional form.

Independent of the works rccomniended higher up the branch drain, your Com- mittee recommends the reconstruction of the section 250 feet north of the railway embankment ,and running through the Council's depot, and the rebuilding of the manhole a t an estimated mst of £700.

Above the railway embankment as far south a s Weigall Street, the drain is not up to the l-inch standard, the worst portion being tha t beneath Simmons Street, where two branch drains enter, n8amely. one from Motherwell Street on the east, and a 3-feet barrel from Chapel Street on the west.

To improve the ,drain in order to bring i t up t o the l-inch standard would be somewhat difficult, and the estimated cost is 24800.

29

lastead of tinkering n i th the e s i s t ~ n g drain it is recommended tha t an ent~rely neu relief drain be constructed as shown on Plau " A," which would tap the main branch a t Bend~go Street, n hc,re it turns into Princes Street, thence running north along Bendigo Street and Surrey Road, n here it vonld junction with the main drain.

I n its course i t would cut off the branch drains a t Malvern Road (from York Street), and a t Motherwell Street. and i t ~vould also relieve from flooding tho low locality a t the intersection of Surrey Road and Cromwell Crescent, where a considerable volume of surface water is concentrated. Starting as a 4-feet barrel, this proposed drain wodd he increased to onc of I feet 6 inches diameter from Motherwell Street to the junction.

If this proposal be adopted the old d r a i ~ ~ , for its whole length from Bendiyo Street to the railway, nil1 be of ample capacity for all futnre requirements, as i t wonld be relieved of the equivalent of an aren of 180 acres.

I n order to relieve the Chapel Street drains. i t is also recommended tha t a 2 feet 6 Inches drain he taken from the drain on the east side of Chap$ Street, thence east along Malvern Road, north along the easement now occupied by an open brick drain. which passes betn-een Nos. 2C1-2!3 Malvcrn Road, thence easterly along JT7eigall Street to the main branch dram. T h ~ s drain woulcl relierc the Simmons Street drain of the drainage from 16 to 20 acres, and would do away with the open drain referred t o nhich is objectionable, and would prevent the flooding of Weigall Street. This work is estimated to cost £900.

AREA ID.

This area of 27 acres on the west side of Chapel Street in South Yarra is drained by the Chapel Street drain, which discharg~s into the main drain, where i t crosses Chapel Street a t bridge. The 18-in. drain on the west side of Chapel Street, which discharges ~ n t o thc railway cutting, is too s~na~ll , and floodlng occurs in this locality, nhich also affects the railnay cutting. I n June last the Council authorised the substitution of a 24-in. pipe drain from Cliff Street t o the railway for the existing 18-in. drain, a t an estimated cost of £600.

Complaints were received regarding the flooding of the dram which runs between Nos. 12 and 14 The Bvenue, during the rains in February and March. This drain carries the surface water from an area of 16 acres in the Iocality of Ellesmere, Wrexham and Leaisham Roads, n hlch concentrates a t the right-of-way at the rear of the above premises. and is conveyed by a flat-covered brick drain (2 feet, 6 inches x 12 inches), which passes between the above premises, and discharges into the street channel in The Avenue. The computed capacity of ihis drain is 12 c.f.s, instead of 16 c.f.s., which would be the 1-inch standard capacity. The drain is in good order, and i t would only overflow in such extreme conditions as preva~led on February 11th. An additional course of bricks and a flag cover mould bring this drain up to the standard a t an estimated cost of £30. This drain discharges a considcrahle vo,luine of surface nater Into the open channel on the east side of The Avenue, and though not necessary, i t would he advisable to lay a 2-feet pipe drain from its outlet, to connect mt11 the head of t'le underground drain in Gertrude Street. The estimated cost of this drain is £300.

There have been no complaints of flooding in other portions of the area, and when the City Surveyor inspected i t on February 5th, on the occasion of the severe storm which c~aused trouble in the majority of other drains, there was no indication of any overflow a t the manholes or inlets,

The computed dischdrging capac~ty of the drain shons i t to be nearly up to the standard. This heing the casc, no detailed esaminatioa has been made of the drain i n Union Street.

AREA 3.

On several occasions recently Toorak Road has been flooded in the hollow opposite Davis Avenue South of the Brightou Railway.

To remedy this i t is recommended t h a t the square junction pit and 18-inch overflow drain a t the intersection of Tnorak Road and Davis Avenue be abolished, and, if practicable, the Davis Avenue drain should be dropped beneath the drains on the south

30

side of Toorak Road, and carried across Toorak Road benerath the drains on the north side, thence northedy along Darling Street to Railway Place, 2nd beneath the railway sttation to the Yarra Street drain, picklng up the drainage from the p i t on the north side of Toorak Road, and also the nater ~ h ~ c h concentrates in the hollow in Darling Street en route. The proposed relief drain is 3 feet 3 inches to Railway Place, where ~t is enlarged to 3 feet 6 inches to 1t8s j u n c t i o ~ with the Yarra Street drain. If this were done, the Toorak Road drams would h: lef t free from a11 except their own storm water, and their capacity is only sufficient for this. The Parra Street drain is 4 feet 6 inches x ,5 feet 9 inches, and has a computed discharge of 226 c.f.s., which should be ample for an area of 180 acres.

The estimated cost of the Davia Avenue relief drain is Y1400.

The only other defect in this area is in Hi& Street, just east of the Brighton railway bri,dge. There are ,large inlet pits, one on each simde of the street, and from the pit on the south side a 9-inch pipe leads direct to the railway cutting, discharging down a brick chute into t h e drain which follows the railway cut,ting to South Yarra. From the pit on the north side a 9-inch pipe takes a circuitous course across uader High Street, and junctions into the pipe previously mentione,d, and which is still of the same size. This pipe from the north pi t hzs only a very slight fall, and on occasi.ons h,as become blo,cke.d> and caused flooding across High Street a t this po,int. Any such obstruction is difficult to remove on aocount of the curve t o which the pipe is laid, and the fact of its pasage beneath the t ramnay. It is tberefore recommeu~ded tha t a plpe be laid direct froill this north side pit to the railwar, give11 a good fall, and finally discharging down a short brick cbnte mtc tho railnav drain, 'li an estimated cost af about £50. There is no natural outlet for the storm I\-ater, this, therefore, requires early attention.

AREA 5 .

A smsll aiea of 22 acres sk~r t lng Dandeuong h a d between Chomley Street and the Brlghton rallmay. The surfnee street chslinels dtscharge into an inlet on the north slde of Dandenong Road. nest of Hornhy St ier t , \*hence the dra~nage is carried across Dandenong Road in a c n l ~ e r t 2 feet 1 foot 1 ~ n c h . and carried into St. Kilda vla Alma Park The estimated capaclt, of the culvert 1s 16: c.f.6 , Instead of 22 c f.s , the required capacity. Thelc have been romplalnts of an overflon from thls culvert. causing flooding over the faotpaths a t the colner of D n ~ j d ~ n o n g JtoniI and H ~ r n h y Street. To remedy thls the Council has dlreadr sanctioneJ t h ~ rollstluction of a nea culvert 3 feet 6 inches x 13 laches, n hlcli ~t 1s piopowd to construd befo~e the completion of the tramn ay track In 1)andenong Road. Tlim nork nlll be put tn hand a t an early date.

One of the drains serviug this area (a 2-feet barrel drain) commences a t the junction of St. George's and Lansell Roads, and thence passes north through private property to t h e River. Tno hranch drains, each consisting of a 12-inch pipe, discharge across Lailsell Road and S t George's Road lnto the 2-feet drain. An overflow has occurred at the head of these branches on several occasmns, and on February 5th a t this locality, thv nater rushed over the road, n ashed an ay a canslderable quantity of metal, and entered p r ~ v a t e property, resulting In con1p1aint.s heing lodged.

Yonr Committee recommends the construction of an additional inlet on the south side of St. George's Jioad, and the replacing of the 12-inch drain by one of 1Binch diameter. a t an estimated cast of £50.

-4 very old pipe drain has been laid in rhts vaIley from Toorak Road to Grange Road, which is crossed by a circular stone culvert. From here the drainage from the whole area finds its n a y by the natural n-atercourse t o the River. The original drain wnsisted of hoft and inferlor 18-lnch pipes, and from time to time as the pipes collapsed, and failed, the drain has heen renewcd in sections, the most recent being the 2 feet 9 inches drain laid beneath private property, where some damage was done by the storm in the early par t of the year. Where the 18-inch pipes have collapsed east of Orrong Road they have been replaced by a 2-feet monier pipe, and the drain is now adequate, and in good order from Orrong Road to Lansell Road. Frequent breaks occur in the section between Lansell and Toorak Roads, and in the future, as the lalid adjoining becomes built upon, this will require t o be replaced with a n m drain. This also applies to the balance of the

dram through prlvate property to Grange Road, but as the natural ouhlet for storm water is not blocked by bu~ldinqs or other obstructions, any overflow results in no more serious consequence than floorhng of garden land%. 'l'his wolk is not one of urgency at present The estimated cost of renewng the drain east of Lansell Road is £350, and for the p o r t ~ o n through private property t o Grange Road, £500.

West of Grange Road some slight damage was caused to property In Februwy last, and the Council ~ v a s asked to construct a covered drain from the culvert along the natural watercourse through this property, for which work your Comm~ttee is informed that the oxvnel was xvill~ng t o contribute a portion of the cost.

I n event of the large reliet drain being oor~structe~d from Canterbury Road to the River, the drainage of Area 7. a t this point. will he taken into the relief drain. which will here serve a double purpose.

-1 second d r a m In t h ~ l j locrlht~ rn1is iron1 r J a c k ~ ~ n Street northwa~ds, and crosses beneath Douglas, Washington and d r u t e Streets. nhere ~t discl~arges mto a large open pitched d ~ a i n through pnvate property. to the natural creek mentioned above The last floods caused a considerable sectlon of t h ~ s open d r a m t o collapse, and thls wdl require to be made good, as the land through wh~ch l t passes 1s open grass land. This work might he postponed u n t ~ l tlie question of thc, r e l~ef d r a ~ n is declded \\hen a proper junction could he made.

AREA 8. At present only the higher portlon of the area 1s much built upon, vlz., in the

neighhourhood of Washmgton Street. Bruce Street and Harold Terrace. The high ground from an a<ltltude of about 90 feet above Ion na te i dacum f d l s quickly on all sldes, and drains into the natural hasin knonn as the Corno sn amp, which is so low as to be subject to tidal inundation from the River Yarra. There is no drainage difficulty on the higher levels, which are amply served 1)y surface street channels.

The only d~fficulty is n l t h regard to the d r a ~ n a g e of the swamp, where an area of from 18 to 20 acres 1s helon flood level d plpe d r a m 15 inches in dlameter drains the lolrer or west end of Harold Terrace arloss vacant land to a brick barrel drain 3 feet 3 ~nches 111 d ~ a i n e t e ~ and ahout 273 feet In length. 111 the Ion par t of Williams Road This latter d r a m turns nrsterly across the Conlo snamp t o tlte River, nhe ie l t is 3 feet 6 Inches in dlamctcr. but ~ t s outlet IS slx Inches belo!\ Ion na te r datum Thls sener u ~ l l drain the greater par t of the snbmp mlth the rlvel a t summer level

To prevent the inflov of flood \later from the River, penstocks could be adjusted to the drain, and arranged to he closed during river floods.

From t h r estimates atiached hereto it will be seen that in order to carry out the ~mprovements recommended, the Conned will be involved in an expenditure of £27,000.

The annual c o ~ t to the Cltv on account of interest and sinking fund for a loan of rhls amount n ~ l l be £1620, equal t o four-fifths of a penny in the pound on the present nsessment. Your Committee ~s of oplnlon tha t the t m e has arrived for the Council to undertake these very necessary and urgent drainage works. and strongly recommends t h a t they be undertaken ~ m m e d ~ a t e l ~ , romrnencin~ n i t h the construction of the diverting drain in Canterbury and Grange Roads. When these are completed i t is astimated tha t tho City of Prahran \r 111 be p ror~ded n ~ t h storm n ater sen-ers n hich a ill convey the naters from all hut the most exceptional ram stoims, and in this respect nil1 probably he the most effirlently d r a ~ n e d Clty in the Metropolis

Your Carnulittee is also of oplnion tha t the Gouncll should take into its early consideration the question of acqniring the land in the northern portion of the " Como " swamp, which includes 20 acres helow flood level. If this xere done, the land could be gradually filled In, and in the course of time wodd become a valuable and useful block, which could be utilised for the benefit of the citizens. The Council is reminded tha t it has no land available for tipping purposes. and it is therefore imperative tha t this low- lying land should be obtained without delay.

Your Comnnttee cannot conclude its report without referring to the very valuable service rendered by the City Surveyor (Mr. Calder) in preparing the details of this drainage scheme, which has involved intricate calculations for each drainage area of the City. Diagrams have now heen prepared showing how the City is reticulated. and giving d

general history of the drainage isystem ,zs far habk as office records will permit.

9th Oct., 1911. ALBERT A. HOLDSWORTH,

Chairman 32

MAIN DRAIN. 1)ivertiny drain, Canterbury and Grange Roads 21.5,200 0 0 E l n ~ Glove llelirf Ur;rin - 350 0 0 a 1 1 1 a , I v e t ~ a d - - 400 0 0 Branch I )rain, Or rong a ~ ~ d Af tlvern Roads Railway Cross~ng

(alrcdy a u t l m ~ i s ~ d ) - - - 160 0 0 Reconstrnctiu~~ of Culvert 1111der Orrong Road (Sec. 8) - 23.5 0 0 B r a ~ ~ c h U~ain, Tooral; Road 6.50 0 0 Improverne~~ts Tooralc Iload to River Street - 950 0 0

-- S17,945 0 0

AREA 1C. Surrey Road Relief Drain 4,000 0 O R r c o ~ l s t r n c ~ i o ~ ~ of Section " D." - 700 0 0 Relief L)raiu, h l a l ~ e r ~ ~ Road and Weigall Street 900 0 0 -- 5,600 0 0

A R E A ID. 1)rai11, Cl~apel Sttert, Ar t l~nr Street to Grosvenor Street (alte~ations) GOO O 0

-- 600 0 0

A R E A 2. Drain along The Avenue, etc. - 330 0 U

-- 330 0 0

AREA 3 Davis Avenne-T~w~ali Road Relief Drain - 1,400 0 0 Alterat io~~s in High Street 3U 0 0

-- 1,450 0 0

AREA 5. - Culvert, Dandenong Road (already authorised) 130 0 0 -- 130 0 U

A R E A 6. Alterations. St. George's and Larlsell Road Intersections - 50 0 0

-- 50 0 0

A R E A 7. Drain, Toorali Road to Ilansell Road 350 0 0 L)rain, Orrong l h a d to Grauge Road 50u 0 0

-- 850 0 0 A R E A 8.

Como Swamp penstocks 25 0 0 -- 25 0 0 --

Total - S26,980 0 0 ---

Or say OE27.000 0 O

Notes on the Estimates. M A I N DRAIN.

Tlle construction of the diverting drain Canterbury and Grange Roads mill avoid the folloming expenditure :-

Drnin from Grange Road tn the River Yarra - f 2,200 0 0 Reconstruction of Section No. 14 - 1,600 0 0 Reconstruction of Surrey Ro;~d Bridge - - 300 0 0 Saving on Lower \lain Urain Works (say) - 1,000 0 0 --

25.100 0 0

If the Elm Grove Relief Draiu be not constructed, the r"ol1osing works mill require to be carried out :- Edargiug or reconstrncting Sections 4, 6 and 7, or optional

works al~louuting to about t l ~ e same cost - - 54.000 0 0

33

Chapel Street North. A marked improvement is taking � lace in Chapel Street, between the Bridge over the

Main Drain and the Bridge over the River Yarra.

'1 his part of Chapel Street has for many years been subjected to heavy vehicular traffic, and was expensive to maintain as an ordinary macadam road ; when the new bridge was erected over the main drain it was decided to cut down the rise between Malcolm Street and the River, and the road is now being constructed as follows :--

Pitched channel three fseet wide both sides.

Centre of road 19 feet wide to be laid with blue stone setts on bed of sand without concrete, so as to facilitate future tramway construction.

Sides of road to be wood blocked, 9 feet 6 inches wide.

The work necessitated the removal of a large water main and alterations to telegraph posts, and when completed the approach to the City from this direction will be in keeping with the other main roads of the district

The cost is estimated at over ~ 5 0 0 0 , Loans No. 4 and 6 being drawn on for the amount

Wages Board Municipal Emplayees (Workmea). In comequence of the difficulty in obtaining the appointment of a Wages Board for

Municipal employees (workmen) under the Factories and Shops Act, the City Council of Colling- wood has convened a Conference of Municipal representatives to meet delegates from the men to discuss the question of the wages and holidays, with a view to arriving at an amicable arrangement for adoption by the Councils, and the follo\ving is a copy of the log snbmitted by the men's representatives, and also the agreement arrived at.

It remains for the various individual Councils to adopt the scale of wages and holidays 0:

other wise.

LOG SUBMITTE~ BY EMPLOYEES. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT AS UNDER. That the recommendations now made, if

adopted by the Conference and Munlc~paIi- ties, to be for a term of three years.

1. HOURS OF LABOVR. -All classes of Labour 1. HOURS OF LABOUK.-A~~ clnsses of Lahoui other than watchmen, 48 hours per meek to other than watchmen. 18 hours per week to ae worked, between the hours of 7 a.m. and be worked, between the hours of 6 a.m. and .5 p.m. Monday t o Friday inclusive, and be- 8 p.m , Mondav t o Friday inclusive, and tween 7 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturdays, in beheen 6 3.m. 'and 12 noon on Saturdays In ?I1 departments rsrept where shift nork is a11 departments except where shift mork is done, snch as Bath attendants, etc. done. surh as Bath attendants, etc. All mnrk

done ontside of those hours t o be paid foi a t th:~ l,atcx of t ~ m r and a - q n ~ r t r r .

3. HOLIDAYS.- Good Friday, Easter Man- day, Eight Hours' Dav. Christmns Day, Box- ine; Day. New Year's Day. Anniversary Daj , 1Cinz's Birthdav, and t h e thlrd Wednesday

................ In February (Union P ~ c n i c Dm-) Agreed to as printed.

4. A11 work done on those days t o be paid for nt double ordinary ratee; if not worked, to be paid for a t or,dinarp rates. A11 employees 'of 6 m>oaths' standing to receive payment for above holidays, and one meek's annual leave iri ,additior. to all employees of 12 months' standinz or orn..

2. Steam Roller Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . 121-

. . . . . . . . . 9 ,, Attendant 91-

Gcnrral La.bourcxs and Scavengers ... 91-

. . . . . . . . . . . . Foreman Charge of Gang 121-

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ganger W~orkin~g 11 / -

Agreed to as p r i n t ~ d .

. . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Steam Roller Drivers

. . . . . . . . . I > , , Attendant

General Lahourcrs and Scavengers

Withdrawn.

Withdrawn.

3 4

Wages

Pitcher Setters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121- . . . . . . . . . . . . ,, Labourers 91- . . . . . . . . . . . . Asphalters, Leading Hands 101-

Metal Spreaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 / - Tar Distillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 / - Gardener's Foreman or Nnrserynian. .. 11 / - Ga~dener 's Labourers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91-

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , youths 716 I"ortcman (in charge of yard), attend-

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ing to orders, etc. 11 / - f'nbllr Conveniences, tor 8 hours' shift 716:

Baths. for 8 hours' shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l)rirers, Scavenging 91-

.. H~orsebrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916 , Xaintenancc and others . . . . . . 91-

Cmters owning Horse, Dray and Har- ness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 / -

.. Xaintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131- . . . . . . . . . Market Employees, per week 541-

. . . . . . . . . . . . Powder Monkey Quarries 11 / - .Ibattoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916 Blacksmith's Assistant, and to receive

Blacksmith's wages, whilst doing Blacksmith's work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91-

Electrical Labourers, Spencer Street, when working boiler. 6d. hour extra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 / -

. . . . . . . . . Pitmen, night w,ork, per shift 11 / -

Drivers and others employed a t night w,ork, per shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1016

Leading hands, 11- per day in advance of the wages paid for the class of work on which they are engaged.

Carpenter's Labourers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Watchmen, per hour 11-

Hlock Boys, 211- week, mith a n increase of 116 per week a t the end of every succeedins 6 months. until 331- per week. Boys attain- ing the age of 21 to have priority to claim for employment as labourrrs, other things being equal.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fillers 9 / 6

All employees not mentioned in hhis list to have 6d. per day increase.

3 . OVEHTIME.-~'OI. work done between 5 p.m. land midn~ght on any of the five ordinary working clays of one week, for work done hetn-een noon and midnight Saturdays, for n oik done in ~ X C ~ S S of 48 honrs per week, t ~ r n e and a-half. For work done betneen midnight and 7 a.m. on any clay, double time. All nork done on Sunclays and holidays sl~all l w a t t l ~ r rate of double tlme.

( i . 'l'hat work (lane on Saturday nights or Snndays l ~ e paid for a t overtime rates, instead of I ~ a r i n g to take time off as a t present.

Board Municipal Employees (Workmen).-continued.

35

Pitcher Setters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 /- ) , , Labourers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 / -

Asphalters, Tdeadings Hands . . . . . . . . . 101 - Xetai Spreaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01- Tar llistillers, per shift of 8 hours ... l l / -

Withdrawi~. Gardener's Labourers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 816

Withdrawn.

Resolved t o recommend to Melbourne City Council t h a t these men receive a t least 71- per day.

Withdrawu. Drivers, Scavenging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 816

,, Horsebr,ooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91- ...... ,, Maintenance and others 816

\Vithdrawn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carters, AM.aintenancr 1216

With'drawn. . . . . . . . . . . . . Powder Monkey Quarries 11 / -

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abatbiix Ill-

tinder \Vuges Board, no action taken

Withdrawn.

I'itmen, night wmork, per shift . . . . . . 10/6 Overt~rne rates not to apply.

T)ri\ ers and others employed a t nigbt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - work, per shift 101

Overtime rate to apply.

TVlthdrawn.

Withdra\vn.

Under IT'ages Board.

Withdrawn.

Fillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1 -

Struck Out.

.\lrrady dealt with nnder Clause 1.

Sunday work t o be paid for a t double rates.

7. That all ?rmployees be paid weekly, instead of fortnightly, land that the week kept in hand be abolished, and t h a t all employees be paid in the Council's time, except. where employees voluntariiy attend in them own time.

8. That all drivers be paid from Stable to Stable.

9. That all work done direct fr,om Councils as fa r as possible, lnstead of Gontract and tha t all wages be paid direct from coudci~s.

10. PERMANENT HANDS.-We would especid ally recommend tha t ,all employees of 12 months' probation or over be classed as a permanent hand. and before being discharged a t a moment's notice ( a s a t present), that he be g l ~ e n a n o portunity of kno'wing why his servlces are &spensed with, such t o be dealt with by a Committee to be called the Officers' and Servants' Committee of each Council.

11. Employees to be allowed to smoke during working hours, if in need of same.

Reoommending tha t all employees be paid in the Council's time.

Withdrawn.

Withdrawn.

Withdrawn.

Withdrawn.

Commonwealth Bank Bill.

In common with other Municipalities throughout the State, this Council expressed its disapproval of the Commonwealth Bank Bill providing for the establishment of a Commonwealth Savings Bank. as being altogether unnecessary, and considered that it would prove detrimental to the best interests of the States and the Community.

The Council expressed the opinion that the Savings Bank in this State was carrying on a most profitable business, and most efficiently meeting in all respects the convenience and requirements of depositors. Its business has been built up by careful and prudent management on the part of the Commissioners, and the fact that it now holds about ~ 1 7 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 of deposits is an evidence of its popularity, and the confidence which is felt regarding it.

The existence of this Bank, in addition to being a benefit to depositors, is also a material benefit to the State Government, as a large portion of its funds, approximately about ~ I O , O O O , O O O , has been lent to the Government, and has been app l~ed to the development of the resources of the State.

In addition, a large sum has also been lent to farmers and land owners under the Credit boncier system, at a low rate of interest.

Were it not for this Bank, this money would probably not be obtainable except at a higher rate.

RIunioipal. Concerts, Victoria Gardens, 1911-1912.

A very cool summer was experienced, and some of the Concerts had to be abandoned, whilst others were poorly attended. The net profit for the year was only £63.

The following is a statement of the receipts and expenditure during the last 10 seasons, and as the charges for admission are only 3d. and r d . , whilst the expenses average about L18 per concert, the result may be considered satisfactory.

The falling off since the year 1908 is also partly attributed to the competition introduced by the various picture theatres in the vicinity.

36

Season

Municipal Association of Yictoria.

Amongst the various motions dealt with by the Municipal Association at the 1912 Sessron, the follawing were recommended for adoption by this Council .-

PURCHASE, E T C , O F LAND F O R PURPOSE O F E F F E C r I N G IMPROVEMENTS, AND SALE, E T C , O F W H O L E OR PORTION T H E R E O F

g Motion by CITY SOUTH MELBOLJRNE -" rha t the Association take the necessary steps tc ha\e embodied In the Local Government Act Amendmg Bill provisions similar to those contaxed In the 'Sydney Corporation Amendment Act rgq , ' to empower Counc~ls, w t h the approval cf the Governor-in-Councll, to purchase land or take same compulsorily, and after elfectiny improvements thereon to sell or otherwise deal with the whole or portion thereof"

NOTE The South Melbourne Council states tha t certain parts of the Municlpal district a l e subject to flooding, and tha t oning to the low level of the streets, and af the outlet into the iivei it is irnposs~ble t o properly drain these areas. I n order t h a t the lands inaj be cffectuallj diained and the localities ~mproved, it is proposed t h a t the Council, with the approtal of the Governor-ln-Council, should be ampoaered to purchase these aieas, raise the levels of the streets and surrounding lands, and, where possible, h t t the properties affected, demolishing those which cannot be raised ( b r ~ c k tenements), and then re-sell oi lease the whole or portion of the aiea so taken over The necessary funds to be obtained by means of a loan, w ~ t h provision t h a t any money derived from the sale of the properties, shall be used in redemption of the loan. Rents and interest (11 any) deiived trom the land to be paid into the Municlpal Fund Under Section 24 of the "Sydney Corporation Act Amendment Act 1905," a Council may, in respect of an> land purchased or iesumed b\ it do all 01 any of the following th~ngs:-

( a ) Demolish or repan m y bulldings or erections thereon,

( 6 ) Consti uct nem buildings oi erections theieon ,

(c) Close, alter, widen, extend, or divert any existing public way thereon,

(d) Construct and open any new way thereon,

37

( e ) Alter t h e levels of such land, and alter existing drains. and construct new d ra ins and storniwater sewers thereon;

( f ) Generally alter, remodel, and improve such lands and bn i ld~ngs ill such a manner as the Council may th ink f i t ;

( ( I ) Sell t h e whole or any portion of such iand in one or more lots, by public auction or private rontract . and on such terms and conditions (including power t o t ake aecui.itles for any ba1a:lcc of purchnsc money or allow such pei,iod tdr payment of same) a s t h e Council may th ink f i t ;

(11) Lease t h r whole or any poltion of such land for sucll periods. and on such terms and ro~idi t ions as the Councll ~ n ~ y th ink fit.

l i i . c o v a ~ i ~ w u \ ~ r o x . '1'11e 14:xtcntl\ (? Commlt tw is of oplnloll t l ~ a t ~t 1s d e s ~ r a b l e t h a t t he power proposed slio~lld bc t o n f ( w c d on d'onnrils. and tllc acloptlon of the motion is wcommended.

QUALIFICATION OF' COUNCILLOR

15. Motion by SHIRE OF FERN TREE GULLY : -" 1 hat Sub-section ( I ) of Section 4 I of the 'Local Government Act 1903,' should be amended to read as follows :-

31. (1) The pelaons tollorx~ng shall be qual~fied to hold the office of Councillor i n any M u n ~ c i p a l i t ~ . Ex ply pelson bring the owner oi lessee of ploperty i n t h e municipal d ~ s t r i c t , a h e t h e ~ r o n s i s t i n ~ of onct or more tenements, of the rateable value of Twenty Pounds a t tlle least."

N o ~ ~ . - - T l i e Council coiiside~,s t h a t owners of property a r e not fairly t rea ted in the present section confining the qualification t.o persons liable t o be ra ted , and a number of cases have occurred in the Shire of F e r n Trce Gully and neighbouring Municipal districts, where Councillors, while st i l l property owners and resident i n the Shire, have been forced to wlincluish thei r seats t l i ~ o u g h par t ing with the occupier's liability t o be rated.

Registration of Faotories. r 7 l h e following Factories were Registered hy the C O U I I C ~ ~ dur i~ lg the year :-

Total Workrooms

2 4 S 6 )

1

4 , -1 I

:3 )

)

'Z ) - I 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 1 I I 1 I I

Class.

I )ressmalzing . . . Tailoril~g ... . . Frirnitare Making ... . . Millinery . . . . . Knitted Goods ... . . Laundry W o r k ... Boot Mannf. and Malting .. Underclothing . .. Pastrgcoolting . . . Motor Repairing, &c Coaclrbnilding . .. S . ~ n s a g e Mitl<iug . . . Wood Turning . . Photography . .. Aerated Waters and Cortlials Sawmills, &c. ... Coffin Malting .. Picture Frame Making .. Rnhber Goods .. . Hai r Worker ISicycle I%ni ld i~~g . . . Perfumery . . . Jewellery ... Upllolstering . . . Metal Wol.lr . .. P l n m b ~ r s ... Wickerwork ...

I

Employees 1 T o b l

1 Employees.

Interior City Hall.

Prosecutions and Results for Year 1911-1912. Adulterated milk : Seven prosecutions. Fines inflicted in five cases, two

withdrawn upon payment of costs.

Adulterated Wine : TWO prosecutions. Boiling Tallow : One prosecution. Nuisance, burying meat : One prosecution. C'nwholesome fruit : One prosecution. Theft of pipes from Council's Depot : Two prosecutions.

Forty-one (41) prosecutions were instituted by the Police for offences against the By-laws and under the " Police Offences' Statue 1890."

Places of Amusement. The following buildings have been registered as places of amusement, etc., under the pro-

visions of the Thirteenth Schedule to the " Local Government Act 1g03," for the year ending 3rs t December, 1912 : -

Arrnadale Picture Theatre, High Street, Armadale. Royal Picture Theatre, Chapel Street, Windsor. Crown Picture Theatre, Simmons Street, South Yarra. Lyric Theatre, Chapel Street, Prahran. Empire Hall, Chapel Street, South Yarra. South Yarra Skating Rink, Yarra Street, South Yarra. Garnett Picture Gardens, Co,nmercial Road, Prahran. Albert Hall, Albert Street, Windsor. Arcade Hall, Chaael Street, Prahran. Foresters' Wall, Chapel Street, South Yarra.

Registered Dancing Halls. The following buildmgs have been registered as Dancing Halls under the provisions of

the "Local Government Act 1903," for the year endlng 3rst December, 1912, viz. :- Foresters' Hall, Chapel Street, South Yarra Arcade FIJII, Chapel Street, Prahran Protestant Iiall, Cecil Place, Prahran. Albert Hall, Albert Street, IVindsor

Gas Enquiry Board. At the request of the .Council, 1 attended the Board appointed to enquire into the position

of the Metropolitan Gas Company, and its relations with the Municipalities and the consumers, also the price of gas.

I submitted a yuantity of figures as to the contracts entered into between the Council and the Gas and Electric Light Companies, and also the information in m y possession in respect to the Netropolitan Gas Conference, but as the Council had never expressed itself or given any opinion in reference to the important question of the purchase of the Metropolitan Gas Company by the ~\iunicipalities I was unable to tender any information on that point.

The Board has completed the enquiry, but has not yet submitted its report to Parliament.

Control of Butchers' Shops, Etc. The Council has requested the Municipal Association to take into consideration the neces-

sity that exists for Municipal Councils acquiring more powers to regulate and control butchers, fishrnonp+ and poulterers' premises, and to pass regulations in respect thereto. Generally speak- ing, the tradesmen of this class are most exemplary in the keeping of their premises in respect to cleanliness, etc., but the I5tealth Committee has occasionaily to deal with premises of this class, which should not be allowed to exist, or only under conditions requiring complete alterations to the building, etc., which, under its present powers, the Council is unable to enforce. I t is recognised that where food of such a nature as meat, fish, poultry, etc., is kept for sale for human consumption, strict supervision should be kept over the shops in which it i s so kept.

It is to be hoped these provisions will be included along with other suggestions made by the Council in the Amending Health Bill which has been promised for some years past.

Alexandra Avenue. The Public Works Department this year advised the Council that Alexandra Avenue,

within this Municipality, had been gazetted a public highway, and requested the Council to undertake the future maintenance of the thoroughfare; but upon inspection it was found that the road had not been made in accordance with the agreement entered into between the Department and this Council ; and it was therefore resolved to advise the D,epartment that the Council would accept no. responsibility for the maintenance of the road until it was completed to the satisfaction of the City Surveyor, and the terms of the agreement compli'ed with.

Chapel Street Widening. An important proposal by Councillor R. Nicolson was submitted for the consideration of

the Council during the year-viz., the widening of Chapel Street for the purpose of providing better facilities for traffic, which is now becoming very congested, especially at the principal intersections. The widening of the approaches was also suggested as an alternative, and it is considered that both Princes and King Streets would lend themselves to this purpose, thence leading into Murray Street and Williams Road.

Bowling Club Pauilion. Permission has been granted to the Citv of Prahran Bowling Club to extend the Pavilion

in Grattan Street another 25 feet for the accommodation of members and visitors. The Club pro- poses to do the work out of funds it has collected for the purpose, and the building will then become the property of the Council.

Amendment of Weights and Measures Act. The Council endorsed the recommendations of the Municipal Conference in respect to the

amendment of the Weights and Measures Act, and with the view of preventing the commission of fraud in the use of scales, weights and measures, and ~ rov id ing protection to the public from tradesmen who give short weight or measure for which there is no penalty, provided it is proposed to incorporate the following clauses in the Victorian Weights and Measures Acts. The Clauses are taken from the new draft Weights and Measures Act for the Union of South Africa, which was brought into the Union Parliament during this year, and was expected to be in force by the 1st July, 1912 :-

FALSE MEASURES OR MEASURING INSTRUMENTS.

No person shall by means of words. descriptions, or other indication, direct or indirect, make any false dcclaration or statement, or wilfully cause any false idea or ~mpression to be conceived, ae to the number, quantity, measure, gauge, or weight of any goods or things sold by him, or otherwise sell or cause to be sold anything by weight or measure short of the quantity demanded."

GOODS TO BE SOLD B Y NET WEIGHT

From the first day of , 19 , no person shall- (a) Sell or cause t o be sold any goads by \I-eight unless by net weight;

(b) Deliver or cause to be delivered to the purchasw of any goods so sold an invoice or delivery note, which does not contain a statement of the net weight of such goods; or

(c) Sell or expose for sale by weight any goods in made-up packages or vessels, unless the net weight of such goods is legibiy marked on the outsida of the package or vessel.

This section does not apply to goods weighed a t the time of sale in the presence of the purchaser, or to any article which, by reawn of being subject to rariation of weight owing to climatic influence, is specially exempted by regulations made under this Act from

40

Amendment of Weights and Measures Act-continued.

the provisions of this section. E v e n article so exempted when sold or offered for sale, shall be conspicuously marked on the cover or package in which i t is sold or offered for sale, with the words " Weight not guaranteed."

It is suggested that words he added empowering the Governor-in-Council to make the Regulations referred to.

Dealers' License, Market Street.

Application was made by James Tweed~e to the Court of Petty Sessions a t Prahran for a Dealers' License, under the "Marine Store and Old Metals' Act," in respect to premises situate Market Street, off Commercial Road, Prahran, and by instructions I appeared for the Council to oppose the application on the grounds that such a depot for the recepuon of marine stores was not required in the locality, and it was not desirable to allow it to be established in so thickly- populated a neighbourhood. The Court decided to refuse the application

Children's Playground at Toorak.

An important step in the direction of providing open-air recreation for the children of a thickly-populated area was taken this year, when the Council acquired two houses and a block of land situate in Fairbairn Road, Toorak, immediately opposite the Toorak Slate School and the Brookville Gardens. The two houses have been transformed into one, into which the Gardener in charge will reside, and it is hoped that during the coming year the Council will vote the necessary funds for equipping the playground with swings, sea-saws and other amusements for the childrens' benefit.

Pri~ate Hospitals.

The following list of private hospitals have been registered by the Council, and are re- p r t e d by the lnspectors to be in first-class order, and comply with the Regulations : -

Nurse Hughes, 302 Malver~l Road; Nurse ltankin, 51 Kooyong Road; Nurses Johaon and Rosenthal, Willisins Road; Nursc l'agden, 41 The Avenue; Nurse Ryan, 32 Aberdeen Road; Nurse Moar, 16 Normanby Street ; Nurse Evans, 20 Wynnstay Grove; Nurse Carpenter, 8.5 Lewisham Road; Nurse Phillips, 32 Murray Street ; Nurse Farring- ton, 80 Williams Road ; Nurse Mills, 614 High Street ; Nurse Hollande, 46 Hornby Street ; Nurse Winter, Dandenong Road; Nurse Moore, 94 Lewisham Road.

Land Sub-Diuisions.

The following kstates were sub-divided during the year, and residences are now k i n g erected thereon : -

The Towers' Estate, St. George's Road, Toorak.

Barnato Grove, off Orrong Road, Armadale

Larnook Estate (Miller's), Orrong Road, Armadale (Second part)

Council Employees.

'The Council lost two of its oldest en~ployees during the year. The iate Mr. J. E. Round had been in the service about 23 years, and was employed in connection with the asphalting and tar-mixing operations. A sum of £35 was voted to his widow.

The late Mr. 1. Rogers was the Council's head painter, and was looked upon as a most conscientious and reliable workman.

41

Charitable Vote . In December . IQI I . the Council distributed the sum of A610 amongst the following . /

Charitable Institutions : . Alfred Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Hospital for Incurables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aust . Health Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blind Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Braille Writers' Association of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Central Mission Relief Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convalescent Home for Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

do . Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cottage by Sea, Ministering Children's League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deaf and Dumb Asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Fry Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eye and E a r Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grsenvale Sanatorium for Consumptives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hawksburn Girls' Guild (Miss Davidson) Homwopathic Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . do . Ladies' Aid Society Cot Fund Hornbrook Free Kindergarten, N'indsor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Infant Asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Little Sisters of the Poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbourne Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orphan Asylum

Prahran Creche (Building Fund) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prahran Ladies' Benevolent Society (payable £ 2 j per quarter)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Queen Victoria Hospital Salvation Army Rescue Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children's Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Society for Assistance Persons of Education St . John Ambulance Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Society Prevention Cruelty to Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St . Vincent de Paul's Orphange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 t . Vincent's Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Talbot Colony for Epileptics T r y Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victorian Home. Aged and Infirm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \Vomenls Hospital

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Razged Boys' Home

Life Governors. various Hospitals . The following Councillurs and others have been appointed

Illstitutione in respect to the Council Charitable Grants :- A L F R E D HOSPITAL .

Rowen. W . . . . . . . 1877-8 Williams. R . M . . . . 1900-1 Davies. W . . . . . . . I 896-7 Mortley. A . M . . . . 1900-I Osment, H . . . . . . . 1896-7 (Town Clerk.)

. . . . . Furneaux. J H 1897-8 Doeg, J . . . . . . . . . . 1900 Luxton. T . . . . . . . 1895-6 Amott, T . . . . . . . . . . 1900 Maddock, J . 1-1 . . . . r 897-8 Chambers, S . A . . . . I goo Turner. ! . . . . . . . . . . J 897-8 Langford. A . E . . . . 1902 Forbes. R . A . . . . 1897-8 Flintoft. J . W . . . . 1902 Gooch. f-1 . M . . . . I 897-8 Densham, W . . . . . . . r go? Simmons . T . . . . . . . 1898-9 (Mayor.)

. . . . Naylor, E . . . . . . . 1893-9 Densham. Mrs 1903 Skinner, G . L . . . . 1898-9 (Mayoress.) Gooch. Mrs . . . . . . . 1900-7 Bangs. S . . . . . . . . . . I 903

. . . . . . . (Mayoress.) IJpton. H 1901 42

Life Governors of Charitablc

. . . . . . . Luxton. Mrs 1904 Turner. Mrs . . . . . . . 1904 Skinner. Mrs . . . . . . . 1905

. . . . . . . Nathan. A 1905 . . . . Chambers. Mrs 1905 . . . .... Dobson F T S 1905

Miller. J . . . . . . . . . . 1900 Nicolson. 1 . R . G . 1906 Dean. H . W . . . . . . . 1907 (Receiver and Paymaster.) Romanis. J . . . . . . . 1907

(Assistant Town Clerk.) . . . . . Fairway. P T I907

(Assistant Surveyor.)

Life Governors Various Hospitals.-continued.

A L F R E D HOSPITAL..

Upton, Miss C. . . . Upton, Mrs. Hy. Kelly, G. C. . . . . . . Dobson, Mrs. . . . . . . Bangs, Mrs. . . . . . . Henley, Miss E. . . . Embling, H. A. A. Flintoft, Mrs. J. J. W.

Heyward, H. C. ... 1910 Willis, Mrs. E. H. 191 I Holdsworth, A. A. 1910 McIlwrick, VI? M. 1912 Scott, T. G. L. ... 1910 McIlwrick, Mrs. ... 1912 Willis, E. H. . . . . . . 1910 Morris, J. E . . . . . . 191 2

Nicolson, Mrs. J. R. G. 191 I ~~ior r i s , Mrs. . . . . . . r gr 2 EmbIing, Mrs. H. A. A. I 91 I Holdsworth, Mrs. A. A. 191 2 Heyward, Mrs. H. C. Igr I Scott, Mrs. T. G. L. 191 I

MELBOURNE HOSPITAL.

Chambers, S. A. (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . 1906 Naylor, E. (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 910 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flintoft, J. J. W. (Mayor) I 907 Nicolson, J. R. G. (Mayor) 191 I

Upton, Henry (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1908 Scott, T. G. L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I912 . . . . . . . . . Dobson, F. T. S. (Mayor) I 909

HOMCEOPATHIC HOSPITAL.

Densham, W. (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . . . . I 904 Naylor, E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1909 Chambers, S. A. (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . 1905 Nicolson, J . R. G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1910 Skinner, G. L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1906 Embling, H. A. Austin . . . . . . . . . 191 I Flintoft, J. J. W. (Mayor) . . . . . . 1907 Willis, E. H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1912 Dobson, F. T. S. (Mayor) . . . . . . . . . 1908

A77STIN HOSPITAL.

Bangs, Cr. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1908 Luxton, Cr. Hon. Thos. . . . . . . . . . I ~ I r Chambers, Cr. S. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . I 909 Embling, Cr. H. A. Austin (Mayor) 1912

. . . . . . . . . Naylor, Cr. E. (Mayor) 1910

Finances of the City. The net revenue for the year Ig11-1g12 amounted to ~54,000, and was only £400 below

the estimate, and must be considered in every way satisfactory.

The revenue from the Supplementary valuations made during the year reached £929, and is an indication of the number of building operations taking place in the City.

The Collection of the Dog Registration fees this year by an Officer of the Council spec~ally appointed for the purpose, has proved a successful innovation, the receipts amounting to £780, as against £500 for the previous year.

The revenue from letting of City Halls has fallen froin £800 to £560, due, in a large measure, to the increasing number of picture theatres, in the City, and the consequent lessening in the number of Concerts given in the halls.

The profits from the High Street Tramway have slightly increased this year, being 62047 1 3 s I ~ d . , as against £1909 19s. 8d. for 1910-191 I , and if the cost of operating the line is not considerably increased during the coming year, a larger dividend should be available, as the total revenue from the line amounted to £38,876, being an increase of over £1 1,000 as compared with 1910-191 I .

The principal items of expenditure were as follows : --Street maintenance, A7457 ; Quarry, A2800 ; Freight on metal, £1315 ; Street cleansing, £3700 ; Stables, £3000 ; Street watering, £503 ; Street lighting, £4045 ; Salaries of staff, A4746 ; Metropolitan Fire Brigades, £1752 ; Interest and Sinking Fund on Loans, £1 2, I 52.

43

Finances of the City.-Continued.

LOAN No. 7, £31,000.

In March of this year, the Council decided to borrow for the purpose of carrying into effect the recommendations of the Drainage Sub-committee which went thoroughly into the question of the Main Drainage of the whole City, and also the recommendations of the Dandenong Road Improvements' Conference, it was therefore resolved to issue debentures to the value o t £31,00~ redeemable annually over a term of 30 years, at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum.

The Melbourne Harbour Trust took u £15,040 worth at par, and the remainder will be sold as soon as the market is favourable.

The following are the details of the Loan schedule :-

Due Date. 30th September, 191 2

, 19'3 ,, 1914 ,, 191 5

1916

Schedule of Permanent Works and Undertakings.

I . S T R E E T S AND ROADS.

Dandenong Road Improvements . . . ... .. ... ... Myrtle Street Footway, widening . . . ... ... ... ... Osborne Street Footway, widening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bendigo Street Footway, widening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quarry Machinery-

Duplicate crusher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Extension of loopline ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant for rock drill . .. ... .. . ... ... ... ...

Am'nt of Debenture.

Schedule of Permanent Works and Undertakings.-continued.

2 MAIN DRAINS AND SEWERS.

Diverting Drain, Canterbury and Grange Roads ... Elm Grove relief drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Branch arain, Orrong & Malvern Rds, railway

crossing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reconstructing culvert under Orrong Road . . . . . . Branch drain, Toorak Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Main drain, Surrey to Toorak Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . Davis Avenue to Toorak Road relief drain . . . . . . High Street alteration (Area 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dandenong Road culvert Chomley Street channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Williams Road north channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. MACHINERY FOR TARRING and binding sub- stances for surface of roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loan Accounts.

LOAN No. 4, £55,000 ACCOUNT

The sum of £1 151 was expended on roadways and footways, A785 on purchaqe of pleasure grounds, and &5o on drains out of this loan during the year, leaving a balance of £8363, available for the work of reconstructing and covering the Main Drain between Chapel Street and the River Yarra, this large and important work has been held over pending negotiations with the Governmenl for a contribution towards the cost of the work, which, if carried out, will considerably enhance the value of Government property along the course of the drain.

LOAN No. 5 (£~o,ooo).

Most o i this loan has been expended, a balance of £849 remains, which it is proposed to exl:end on necessary improvenlents to the City Buildings.

LOAN No. 6 (~;IO,*O].

The sum of £1617 was expended on roads ar.d footways and pleasure lands, leaving a balance of £5056 for reconstruction of roads in h l g h Street, Malvern Road, Chapel Street North, and some drainage work.

'The Prince's Bridge Loan, &IO,OOO, has been liquidated to the extent of £7136, and the balance will be repaid by the year 1918.

The River Yarra Improvements, Loan £4000, has been reduced by £261 I , and the balance of £1389 will be paid off by the year 1918.

The Council is also liable for the sum of £3550, in connection with the regrading of the railway line at Armadale, and interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum is being paid on this sum.

45

Statement showing Total Annual Payments to be made for the Redemption of Loans and Interest on same.

Abstract of Loans Outstanding 30th September, 1912.

Date of Loan.

--

1899 9th Oct.

1906 Nov'ber

19011 Dec'ber.

No. and Amount of Or~ymal Loans.

Cwsoli- dated

18!)H ' ~ i v e r Ynrra Improve- 30th ,JUII( 1 ments, S4,OOn

Amount utst'ndin; --

S89, l0,5

%4!),.525

f9,3393

29,615

f :3o,4ou

f I .;-is!)

£2,864 1 XY7

Jannnl y

No. and Atnount ~ Interest. of Bonds. I Payable. I / When. Where.

Princes Bridge, f 1 0,000

do. 0 . 4 0 , i

do.

do.

Principal Xepayable.

t.1 (100 1 4 O/,, , Half-yearly, 301

1 . 11 lne&3la tDe

I 30th Sept. ill each year, from Sept , 1907, to Sept., 1940.

E 10.000 I 4+Olo

30th Sept. ill eacli year, from Sept., 191 0, to Sept , 1940.

Pearly, 1st January

30th Sept in each year, from Seth., 19 I I , to Srpt., 194 1.

30th Sept. ill eacli year. from Sept., 1912. to Sept.. 19;2.

December. 1 9 17.

January, 1 !) 18.

Statement showing Incraascs in Assessment since 1839.

Year 1899 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A337375 Year 1907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £410,480 , 19co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342,578 , I908 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434,286 ,, 1 9 0 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344,609 ,, '909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444,941 ,, 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364,71' ,, 1910 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452,122 , 1903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368,963 ,, I91 I . . . ... ... ... ... 470.4 78 ,, 1904 ... ... ... ... ... 382,131 ,, 1912 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , 1905 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

496,752 385,900 :: rg13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535,089

,, 1906 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4OSt449

Comparative Statement of Population, Valuation, Revenue, &c., from 1901 to 1912.

Ratepayers.

8.9.50 9.321 9,550 9 580 9.775

10,072 10,02-1 10.200 10,374 10,400 11 ,000 1 1.500

Year. -

1901

Revenue. A uessment~. Population.

11,161

Buildings.

1902 41,200 1903 / I%.U00 I904 I 42.100

42.300

1909 1 d4.500 1910 45,000 191 1 1 46.062

46,697

Valuation and Population Statistics. VALUATION.

l'ourak Ward South Yarra \\';ird Prahran Ward . . . W indsor Ward

Toorak Ward ... Smth yarra Ward .. Prahran \Tard ... . . Windsor Ward

POPULATION. - --

Municipal Properties. Town Hall Buildings and Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Markets, Shops, Buildings and Land ... Prahran Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toorak Park and Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orrong Road, Land, West Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Land, Peel Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gladstone Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant, Furniture and Materials in Stock . . . . . . . . . Brookville Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Land, Surrey Road, 84 ft. Malvern Road Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Land, Williams Road, East Side, 33 ft. . . . . . . . . . Land, Williams Road, West Side, 30 ft. . . . . . . . . . ,, Bendigo Street, West Side, 30 ft. . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 James Street Land, Albert Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refuse Destructor and Buildings, Plant and Depot Fire Station, Macquarie Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Regent Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Izett Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and, T ~ o r a k and Rockley Roads

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cottage, 73 Surrey Road

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stone Quarry, Footscray Cottage, 135 Surrey Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cottage, 47 Fairbairn Road Playground, Fairbairn Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,

Your most obedient servant, JOHN ROMANIS,

Town Clerk. 48

CITY SURVEYOR'S REPORT.

TOWN HALL, PRAHRAN, 1st October, 1912.

TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS, CITY OF PRAHRAN.

SIR AND GENTLEMEN,-

1 have the honour to submit the Annual Report of Works carried out in the City, under iny direction for the Financial Year ending September 30, 1912.

During this period the steady progress which has marked the History of the Municipality for the past decadz has been fully maintained, and of the general prosperity enjoyed by the State, Prahran has received its fair share. The number and value of the new buildings erected has ex- ceeded any previous record in the History of the City! the value of these being close upon ;t;200,000. The new buildings have been mostly erected in the recently subdivided estates, and in Chapel Street a number of the older shops and places of business have been removed and replaced by modern buildings. The Como Estate, Toorak, is conspicuous in regard to the generally high standard of the residences erected there, partly owing to its favourable locality, and to the fact of a building covenant being in force, providing a minimum value of buildings to be erected. Several of the recent sub-divisions have been cut up without regard to the continuity of new with existing streets, and with allotments of anything but a generous area. It is to be regretted that the Municipal Councils have not greater powers in controlling the laying out of new streets and building allotments.

Motor Traction. The Council has decided to enter the field of motor traction in connection with several

branches of the Municipal service, and in July, tenders were called for three (3) motor lorries, with the result that in August, Contracts were entered into with the Till Motor Co., for the supply of two (2) Hallford Petrol lorries, of 3 and 5 tons carrying capacity, for £700 and £985 respectively, and with the Falkiner-Boll Co., for a 5-ton electric lorry with Cedes Hubb motor and Tudor bat- iery. The Contract price for this latter machine, including a double side tipping body, was £1 183 gs,, and, in addition, a duplicate Tudor lead battery is to be supplied for £250. These vehicles ,Ire to be delivered early in December.

The 5-ton lorries are to be used for haulage of metal and other road-making materials, and the 3-ton Petrol lorry is to be fitted with a water tank of 700 gallons capacity, and will be used for street watering. The electric lorry will be the first of its kind seen in this country, and the working results, as compared with the petrol-driven machines, will be watched with interest.

Roadways and Pavements. During the year the street mileage has been increased by the following new streets :-

Larnook Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I .21 chains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larnook Street West 3.64 ,,

Vail Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.35 9,

Claremont Street Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.57 t ,

Grant Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.9 >, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelvin Grove Extension 7.90 ,!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smyth himeet 2.73 ,,

47.30 chains.

49

New Rights-of-way- Between Chomley Street and Irving Avenue . . . . . . 10.1; chains Off Williams Road to Walter Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.15 ,, Off Tooralc Road, rear Rockley Road . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.57 ,,

39.57 chains

The area and Street Mileage of the City are now :-

Ward. Area. I Miles of Streets. 1 Miles of Lanes.

South Yarrn - 50'2 ,,

Prahran 450 *,

Windsor 534 ,,

-- - - - - - -- - -

Miles Chains

871 acres 1 16 19 47

Works Done by Contract. The principal new Contract works car r~ed out durlng the year were :-

Loan 4- Cutting down ('hapel Street North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L761 1 7 6

Loan 5- Cutting down \Villiams Road North . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 10 o

Loan 6 - One hundred and twenty-five thousand wood blocks ... 738 4 7 Construction, Gladstone Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5'3 14 4 Wood blocking and sets Chapel St. North (labour only) 607 13 o

I .oan 7- Jaw Rock Crusher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 5 o Reinforced Concrete cover over Main Dram . . . . . . . . . . . . 728 o o Reconstruct:on cf Main Drain (Surrey Rd to Toorak R d ) 1028 14 6 Channel, Williams Road North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 17 4 Channel, Chomley Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 17 10

General- Right-of-way off Williams Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 4 0

Motor Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400 o o Right-of-way, Rockley Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 I 6 Grant Avenue, Construction an3 Drainace Work .. 587 10 T O

Right-of-way between Chomley St. & Irving Avenue ... 229 10 o Construction Smyth Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 16 o

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orrong Park-Cultivation & Fencing 294 '7 6 Orrong Park-Water Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 9 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelvin Grove, Extension & Drainage 460 7 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing House, Falrbairn Road 19 10 o

... Purchase & Removal of Nos. 102 & 104 Henry Street 75 0 0

. . . . . . Formation of Right-of-way off Gladstone Street -

32 5 0

L7868 5 9

The Principal works carried out by day labour were :- Cutting down Chapel Street North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £200 o o Dandendng Road (construction bet Chapel Street and

Orrong Road) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,926 0 0

50

. --

Miles Chains

2 7 5 7 7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claremont Street Extension Chapel Street Drain, Fitzgerald St. to Rzilway Bridge

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chatsworth Road Lane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Culvert Dandenong Road

Dandenong Road, formation and drainage-St. Kilda side of V.R. Bridge to Chapel Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gladstone Park Drain Wood -blocking, High Street, near Chapel Street . . . . . . Williams Road North, Pit and Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modern Channel, High Street, from V.K. Bridge to

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Punt Road High Street, Kooyong Road to V.R. Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . .

A7313 ' 5 1

Metal Produced porn Quarries. 24 in. and I $ in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,384 cubic yards. hand-broken Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766 ,, J )

14,150 9, 9 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sold to Contractors 12.5 ,, j)

14,025 1, ,, Csed on Loan Works : -

Loan 6- \fTood blocking, High

S t , near c/r Chdpel St I 2 cubic yards. High Street, Railway to

. . . . . . . . . Kooyong Road 252 ,, , )

Loan 7- . . . . . . . . Dandenong Road 4,508 ,, ) J

4,772 2

9,253 ,, 9 )

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joint \ \ ork-Kooyong Road 1,076 ,, 1,

Quantity used for Road Maintenance . . . . . . . . . 8,177 ,, j1

'The r'ollawing streets have been sheeted with metal :-- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irving Road

Malvern Road (near Chapel Street) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Commercial Road, at Railway Bridge

3lalvern Road (Railway to Kooyong Road) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Darling Street

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balmoral Street I Grosvenor Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bendigo Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wynnstay Place

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hornby Street Chomley Street (Western border) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total length of streets sheeted-2 miles I j chains.

Tar-paving Repairs. Top dressing has been done to footpaths in the following streets :-

High-street Cassell-street - Armadale-street , . Toorak-road ' - k

51

New Pavements. New pavements have been laid in the following streets :-

TAR. Little Albion-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Millicent-avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Woorigoleen-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cassell-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Percy-street

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chomley-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closeburn-avenue

Maple-grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mandeville-crescent . . . . . . . . . . . . Darling-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total

59.09 square yards 282.17 ,, 39

185.00 ,, 1, 17.50 >, , I

65.34 5 , 11

985.00 ,, 11

93.33 $ T , %

248.93 9 , , 100.26 ,, , 74-00 1 3 1,

2110.58 ,, ,,

CONCRETE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Woorigoleen-road 222.99 square yards.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fulham-avenue 462.3 I ,, I I

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pohlman-street 389.89 ,, Caroline-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525.00 ,, 1,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total I 600. I g ,, ,,

The Dust Nuisance. The tar painting of macadam roads was actively proceeded with during the past summer,

the area of streets so treated being 226,740 square yards-the total length of streets represented by this area being 14; miles, or just double the area t ar painted during 1910-1 I .

There is no doubt that very considerable benefit has been derived frcm this work not only in the l e s sAng of the dust nuisance, but in the general greater cleanliness of the streets thus treated.

The following streets have been tar-pain ted during the year : - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Williams-road 3 I ,000 square yards.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hobson-street 3,550 ,, ,1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Surrey-road 6,400 ,, Clifton-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,760 ,, Boundary-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 ,, Northcote-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,600 ,,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Munro-street 3,000 ,,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elm-grove 1,280 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kensington-road 3,500

Toorak-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2% 50 Chapel-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,440 Wellington-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,900 GreviIle-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,650 High-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,900

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles-street 4,800 Commercial-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,000

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Upton-road I 3,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malvern-road 1,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlton-street 130 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth-street 2,000

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James-street 1,700 Bendigo-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,600

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Princes-stre et... 2,100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Avenue 5,570

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mathoura-road 2,800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irving-avenue 7,440

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orrong-road 8,400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grandview-grove 1,000

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lewisham-road 2b100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peel-street 10,800

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maddock-street 520 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City Markets 130

Darling-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Argo-street 2,%0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WattIetree-road 41400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hornby-street 1,000

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. George's-road 1,000 King-street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,400

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total 226,740

Street Lighting.

During the year 7 new gas lamps, 2-32 c.p. electric lamps, and CJ Metallic Filament electric lamps have been erected.

There are now in the City : --

536 Welsbach Gas Lamps. 6 Single Mantle Globe Lamps. 3 2-Mantle Globe Lamps. 3 3-Mantle Globe Lamps.

37 500-watt Arc Lamps. 9 32 C.P. Lamps. 7 8 c.p. Lamps.

107 Metallic Filament Lamps. I Oil Lamp at Ferry.

Steam Roller. During the year the IO-ton steam roller has worked in Prahran 3432 days, and has bee11

hired out half day-the total number of days upon which it worked being 3444.

. . . . . . . . . The amount paid for wages A383 8 11

The sum realised for hire . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 0

Motor Roller. During the year the motor roller has worked In Prahran 329 days, and has been h ~ r e d out

I day-the total number of days upon which it hay worked being 330.

This roller has proved to be a very hzndy and useful machine, but the cost of up-keep is somewhat high.

7 - . . . . . . . . . I he amount paid for wages L331 1 s 8 .l'he sum realised for hire . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 6

New Road Roller. Owing to the increasing anlount of \vorl.r to be done in road construction and maintenance.

it was found that the two steam rollers now in use could not cope with the work, and in July tenders were invited for the supply and delivery of a new steam roller.

I n all, four tenders were received from four different makers, the accepted tender being that of Messrs. Noyes Bros., at £725, for a 12; ton roller by the well-known firm of Aveling and Porter. Delivery of this roller is expected early in December of this year (1912).

Parks and Gardens. The public Parks and Gardens have be211 well maintained by the respective gardeners,

and are all in excellent condition. A sinall area of 2; roods has been purchased in Fairbairn Road, adjacent to the Brookville Gardens, which is p rop~s~ed to be used as a children's playground. The two cottages on part of this area have been ronverted into a gardener's cottage.

A glass house was erected In the 13rook1 llle Gardens, at a cost of £70, and (lie hot-house , ~ t the Grattan Street Gardens was renovated a n d enlarged at a cost of £35.

Orrong Park. 'The works depot at the Orrong ParL h ~ i heen fenced off from the Park, the tree border

burrounding tne Park widened, trenched, and 1.1anted with an additional row of trees and shrub\, the inner area ploughed and harrowed, and a water servlce installed, at a cost of £385

Gladstone Gardens. These Gardens have been fenced, trenched and cultivated, paths gravelled and drained,

lawns and shrubberies formed, laid out, and planted, and a water service installed at a total cost of £700.

The area of the public Parks and Gardens controlled by the Council is now :- ;1c. r. per.

Broo1:ville Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 o 2

Fairbairn Road Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . o 2 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gladstone Gardens I 2 o Malvern Road Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orrong Park 10 I o Prahran Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 3 3 I3 Rockley Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 o 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toorak Park 8 3 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Gardens 4 I I7

-- Total area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 2 31

Street Trees. The total number of trees planted in the City streets is now 4752.

Trees planted in New Streets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ,i Trees planted to replace dead ones . . . . . . . . . 96 -

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 .i4

Quarry. The quarry and stone crushing plant have been kept in constant work during the year,

and the working of the plant and output of stone has been satisfactory.

The total quantity of stone of all description produced and transferred from the quarry was 20,968 tons, as against 15,979 tons for the preyious year.

This quantity included 13,384 c. yds. of in and 14 in metal, 4893 C. yds. of screenings and to~p ings , 44,210-6 in. pitchers, and 22,925 8 in. pitchers, and 21,255 setts ; 2104 lin. ft. of y in. x 8 in. guttering-1403 lin. i t . of 12 in. x 10 in dressed Iierbing, and 9322 lin. ft. of 6 in. x g in rough kerb and other miscellaneous dressed stone The quarry face now shows a depth c;f 40 ft.

New Crusher. A second 16 in. x 9 in. jaw crusher was installed in November, 191 I , by Messrs. Jaques

Bros., at a cost of ;1;330.

Rock-drilling Plant. A Rock Drilling Plant was installed on July 31, 1912.. The drills ar.: onerated by com-

pressed air. Messrs. Thompson and Co., of Castlemaine, were the successful tenderers for the Air Compressor, Messrs. Buchanan and Brock, of South Melbourne, for the Air Receiver, and Messrs. Guthridge supplied the Rock Drills, which include one " Chersen " Rock. Drill and two Popper Drills. The cost of this installation was £453 15s. 2d. The whole of thisPlant has worked well, and given entire satisfaction. The cost of quarrying the stone will be very considerably reduced by the installation of this Plant. In order to accommodate a greater number of trucks, the loop line was extended for a distance of 60 feet by the Railway Department, at a cost of £14 10s. gd. The tram line at Quarry has also been extended during the year, 188 yards of track being laid, a t a cost of L40 10s. rod., and 2 rocker trucks of 2 c. yds. capacity, purchased at a cost of £23, or a total cost of £63 10s. ~ o d .

As compared with current contract rates, the result of the year's working at the Quarry has been a net saving of £607, after making reasonable allowances for capital charges, depreciation, etc.

Refuse Destructor. The whole of the house refuse, amounting to 7801 tons, and trade and market refuse

amounting to 1073a tons, making a total of 8874; tons, has been destroyed at the Destructor, the quantities burned per month, and the revenue received for electricity being as follows :-

Date

1911 Octohw Novenlher I )ecember

1912 .January . . February . . M a ~ c h April May J u n e V J lily Bupist September .

Total

- -

NO. O t Loads House Refuse

-- -

Trade, Private and Market Refuse

- -

Units of Elec. Sold

-- -

38,860 34,640 1:3,110

34.470 82,670 30,810 30.050 36,270 33,730 58.150 36,050 35,780

396,090

Value of Electricity Sold

In addition to this electrical power was used for the Council's own works' purposes as follows : -

Clinker, Crusher and Mixer . . . . . . 29,904 units ... £124 2 o ... Lighting Set, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41750 3 , 108 17 I

Tar Distilling Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,550 ,, ... 4 3 1 9 2 -

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,204 ,, ... £276 18 3

Electricity Generated.

'The number of electrical units generated and sold was 396,090 units, and the quantity usecl for the Council's own lighting and other works 45,204 units. The quantity of electricity generated per ton of refuse burned for the whole year was 47.09 units, and the water evaporation per pound of refuse was 1.08 pounds. The revenue received from electricity sold was £678 6s. ~ d . , as against £808 9s. 7d. for the prevlous year. This shortage is owing to the reduced price received for the electrical current, this being .411d. instead of .486d. as formerly, and also to a tem- porary breakdown in the generator through the burning out of several of the coils, causing the generating plant to be out of action for nearly a month On the other hand an increased amount of current has been used on the Council's own works-namely, 45,204 units, as against 32,527 units last year, due to the increased use of the tar macadam mixing plant.

The revenue for burning private refuse was £167 0s. 4d., as against A161 2s. rd. last year, being an increase of 18s.

The value of clinker sold to builders and others amounted to £101 15s. ~ d . , and that used for the Council's own works to ,£82 3s. I ~ d . , or a total of £1 83 ~ g s . , as against £161 13s 5d. last year, being an increase of £22 5s. 7d.

Old Tins. In July a contract was entered into with the London Electron Co., through Messrs. Kirk

and Lorentzen, for the purchase of old tins from the Refuse Destructor. This contract holds good for 3 years, and the Company pays the Council 6s. per ton for the tin, which is removed from the Destructor once per week by the Company at its own expense.

Tar Macadam Mixing Plant. Improvements were effected to this plant in lowering the stone hoppers and tar macadam

mixers, so that the mixed stone is delivered by gravitation direct into the carts for transport to the works. Also the driving shaft for the mixers has been extended and arranged so that the tar pump can now be worked by the same engine which operates the mixing plant. These alterations will effect a considerable saving, as one man, without assistance, is now able to operate the whole of the tarring and mixing plant.

Horses and Stables. The horses, harness and plant have been kept In good condition. There have been no

losses by death amongst the horses, but two horses which developed unsoundness were sold. The first horse, which was sold in March, had been in service for 2 years. The original cost of this horse was A60, and the price received at auction f;45 The second horse which was sold in July had been in service for 2 years and 3 months. The original cost of this horse was £51, and the price received a t auction £35 14s. The loss of L30 5s. 9d. has been written off to depreciation on the expenditure side of our Statement and Balance Sheet. The cost per horse team for the year, including drivers' wages, feed, shoeing and medical attendance, and allowing for all reasonable charges for depreciation on horses and plant, interest on capital outlay of stables, and deprecia- tlon and repairs to harness, drays and plant, works out at £12 10s. 6d. per day, as against £11 I IS. 6d. per day last year, the increased price being due to the h ~ g h cost of horse feed during the greater or ti on of the year. The total number of horses at 30th September was 17.

56

Building Regulations.

The value of new buildings erected and fees paid in the City of Prahran for the year ending 30th September, 191 2 : -

Ward. Motor Sheds.

Out- build- Pees.

I 1 cost. ings.

1 I --

The value of New Buildings last year totalled f;158,832, and the fees A308 10s.

Permits and Licenses. The number of permits and licenses issued during the year was :-

509 Plumbers' Permits. 404 Builders' Permits. 36 Builders' Licenses. 22 Verandah Permits.

Rainfall for year ended 30th September, 1912.

M o n t h

1911 '

October ... ... November ... ... Ikcember ... ...

January February ,March April May .June .July Auglist September

180.5 points 125 Days

Records taken at Victoria Gardens, Prahran.

Jan 29th

Feb. 5th Mar. 6th Mar. 7th Mar. 8th .Mar. 9th bl ar. 1 3 th Mar. 14th Mar. 15th Rl ar. 1 9 1h Mar. 201h

Chitpel stteet flooded 'l'tains and trams stopped.

Heavy flooding, maindrait~. 1

I }Total fall of 724 points for fortnight. I

28 Contract and other plans prepared. 36 Specifications prepared. 135 City Surveyor's Reports to various Committees.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,

W. CALDER, Assoc. M. Inst., C.E., City Surveyor.

Melbourne Observatory Records of Rainfalls from 1862 to March, 1911, exceeding the rate of One Inch (1") per Hour.

Year.

186 :! I864 1871 1872 1877 1882 1884 1885 1886 1887

I ,

1 i 9 0 , ,

l i b 6

li '97 ,,

1898 19UO

1,

,

l d b l 9 1

i i b 2

Date.

Uec. 8th Mar. 2nd Nov. 21nd Nov. 19th blar. 10th Uec. 5th Nov. 6th Vrb. !Sth .Jan. 7111 Feh. 26th Aptil 9th Nov. 30tl1 Nor. 24th UtT 18th 1)ec. 24th ,Jit11 10111 Mar. 15th J a ~ i 9th 1)ec. 22nd

Al~ril 18th tJan 20th

M;' 18th ,, 1nt11

Uec. 3lst Mar. 18th Oct 20th N1)v 1 51 \I

1)ec. 17th

- 3urstion E Showers i minutes

2 5 30 15 20 15 60 10 20 30 2 0 2U 6 0 10 10 15 10 15 50 2 0 20 15 YO "(I

20 15 10 I5 80 4 0 "0

Amount i n

Points. -

48 11 8 6-2 43

100 ! 25 50 9 5 5 0 7 5 5 8

100 29 2 5 ;3 5 40 0 5 95 1 5 3 5 28 58 3 4 4 4 4 3 2 9 2 5 : 6 3 72 3 li

- Rate

per Hour in Points.

Remarks.

Records of showers falling at the rate of not less than lin. per hour.

Quarries-Crushing Machinery and Storage Pins.

0 1 1 a r r i e s - T r ~ ~ r k i n ~ S t o n e f rom O r ~ a r r v Face to Crusher.

Melbourne Observatory Records.-continued.

Rate I Year. Reniarks.

3

Dee. 9th Jan. 17th

3

Feb. 5th Mar. 7th

1603 Jan . 21st I U 1 19 114 1 I AIar. 4 th I5 / 27 1 108 :: 1 . 8 t h , 15 32 I 2 8 ' Floods reported Toorak road, River

sheet and Clara ctreet. 4 422. ,, Nor. 27th ' 111 4 9 I 294 1 Con~plxir~ts of flood in^, Malrern road

1 and River street. 5 54. lk. I l th I

1904 Jan. 2nd i 10 24 144 , 1 1 Jan. 14th 20 121) '

3 Jan . 25th I 5 i 180 7 ) Frb. 6th 10 25 150

Feb. 7th 2 6 , J a n e 21st8 10

9 Oct, 4 th 4 1905 May 8th 6

7 - {kc.. 3Ulh )

$ 9 1)ec. 30th 4 2 1 91)6 Feb. 28th I4

50 115 40 Willis Bros. drain damaged by

floods. 12 330 1 8 I R 0 ' Flooding Armadale r o d Water L8in.

ojer tootl~ath. .5/174. Li :300

120 171 2.-) 1 07

9 ) Sept. !fth 12 2 1 105 Reported flooding lower ruaiu drain Motherwell street. 5 289.

1!)0i .ran. 2!)1l1 45 7 0 .H:3 I Chapel street and Railway cutting flooded. Trams and trains stopped.

,, 1 Mar. 4th 9 25 167 ,, i Nov. 22ntl 10 2 5 150 ~

1 Sept 12tl1 12 20 I00 190!i Sept 8th 4 2 3 24;) I I 910 Ayrd 25th i 1 2.2 264 I

1 9 Sept. 27th 1 4 12 180 7 Nov. 3td PO 36 , 108

Uec. 2nd 1 18 2 7 0 1

CITY OF PRAHRAN CORPORATION QUARRIES, BROOKLYN. Statement showing Expenditure and Yalue of Output for Year ended 30th September, 1912.

E X P E N D l T URE.

... ... ... Wages ... 33,754 8 9 Fuel-279T. 8C. ... &251 1 3 2

Less 15T. on hand 3O,g/'I 2 . . 13 1 7 6

Water ... . , . Explosiveh ... ...

... Oil ... Less sale etupty barrels 2 1

., stock on hand ... 1 5

Stores and Tools ... ... Less value on hand

Freight on Fuel.. . ... ... Loop Line Maintenance ... ... Horse and Uray Expenses ... ... 57 3 8 Dep. on Horse, 12a p.a, on 5 5 4 ... 6 1 5 0

Sundry Expenkes ... ... Repairs to Ct ushes ... 127 1 9

Repairs to Screen ... ... 20 11 6 ... Repairs to Boiler ... 6 1 3 5 ... Repairs to Sundries ... 8 1 7 0 ... Belting Replaced ... 14 4 3 --

... Repairs to 'l'ools ... Factory Regktration Fee ... Insurance. Employer's Liability

... Office Expenses ... Royalty of hd. per ton on output (21,JlX'I'.

l C.) ... 44 4 I Int . on Capital Outlay,--

Laud. % 1,872 - - P. & M ( 5 p.c.) 22,328 314

} . 220 0 2

Depreciation on Plant and Machine~j, 22,528 4 4 (10 p.c.1 .. .. 252 16 4

-- -- $5,100 i 5

Breiqht on Metal a ~ r d Stone ... ... 1,909 17 2 ... Cartage ,. . . . 1,266 16 4

- -- $8,277 0 11

Balance, b e i ~ ~ g Profit or Savitlg ou Cor~tract Prices ... 6U6 12 2

OUTPUT. A V E R A G E CONTRACT P R I C E -- ---- --

T. C . C.Yrds. 24in. Metal . ... 7,537 18 7,538 6,11 22.606 17 1 0 I=!+. ,, ... ... 6,138 8 5,846 6/11 2,021 14 1 0 gin. Screenings ... ... 2,871 12 2.734 716 1.025 5 0

Toppings ... ... 2,374 13 2,1t59 - - 1

7/74 823 2 5 --- S6.477 0 1

Sin. Pitchers ... ... 6in. ,, ... ... Cubes ... ...

... gin. x gill. Guttering 12i1i. x 1 Oin. Rerbing ... 6in. x gin. Kerb (not dressed) 6in. x loin. Kerb ... Spalls ...

... P i t Stones 6in. x 15in. Circular (4 sets) 12in. x 12in Kerb. ... 15in. x 6in. ,, ...

... 12in. x loin. Circular gin. s gin. punched, cl~eyuer'd loin. x gin. ... ...

... Rockery Stone . .

Stocks. cubes, etc., a t Quarry

478 7 22.925 3918 454 I 3 i 934 18 44,210 31/5$ 695 7 9 1 7 i 2 21.255 19$ 207 4 9 -- 1,357 6 1

53 3 2,104ft. gin. 115 149 1 4 8 4 8 1,403ft. 2in. 216 175 7 11

226 6 9,322ft. 3in. 9d. 349 11 8 24 16 910ft. 10d. 37 18 4 2:: 11 33 C.Y. 4,; 7 11 3 1 6 14 Stones 10 0 0 1 5 28ft. 4in. 31P 4 9 9 3 12 filft. Gin. 5 6 1 6 I ? 3 2 4 5Oft. 2 , l 5 4 2 i 0 I OOft. 4 2 2U 16 8 1 0 35ft. 6in. 211 1 5 3 - ;I 18 167ft. 21- 1 6 1 4 U i 19 8 C.Y. 417 1 16 8 -- - -- 800 1 3 7 20,968 0

250 O Value a t Qnarry 248 1 3 4 ... ... --- -- 21.218 0 28,883 1 3 1

CITY OF PRAHRAN CORPORATION STABLES.

Statement Showing Cost of Horses per day and Cost of Carting Refuse, etc., per day for 12 Months ended Sept. 30, 1912.

DR. ~ ~ Y ~ ' E N I ) I T U R E O N HORSES-

Shoeing ... ... ... $48 8 (i Forage . . $591 0 9

Stock $1 5 1 0 S Forage Sales 2 3 6 Sacks Sold 26 1 0

,, on hand 7 X 0 -- 5 1 2 9 5 3 9 1 8 0

Vetelinat y Feei ... , I 7 0 0 Medicilw ... ... 7 0 S Less Stock ... ... 2 3 0

-- 4 1; 8 d l 17 H Water ... ... 9 U 0 Stores ... ... .. 34 R 8 Lpcs Stork . ... ... 2 12 u

-- 21 I ; 8

Ce. 641 1 10 By N a ~ ~ n t ~ e Sales ... ... 1 8 ti ,, 222Loads at 5s. to Gardens 55 10 0

C. +- -- ;)6 18 t i

E Y P E N D I T U R I . : O N STABLES A N I , M T o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - Wagps. Stable ... ... 203 16 3

... ,, Drivers 1,951 17 9 -- 2,155 14 0 I i i o a ~ ~ ~ ~ s c ; - M . E . S . Co. ... 13 7 11

Destructor ... 1 . i 2 6 -- 28 10 3

Repairs to Hat~nra* ... ... ... 14 1 1 9 I lraya ... ... 4 3 9 I 0

Painting l ) ~ ay4 ... ... . 16 14 1 Sundry Repairs ... ... ... d 1 5

,, Expenses (Whitewashing, etc.) ... 4 2 9 -- 2,265 1 1 3 Depreciatior~ on Horses, 3807 13 8 at 124 p c. pr an. It10 19 2

Harness 1 12 16 11 a t 5 p.c. ,, 3 12 10 l h y s 413 2 2 ,, ,, 20 :$ 2

Interest on Capital Outlay, $1,529 10s. 2d . at 6 p.c. per annum <including Interest on Capital, Sit~lzing Fnnd and Depreciation on Building) 9 1 16 O

218 11 2

CR. Uy Cost of Horses for 1.2 months ($66 days) : average 15.3;;

Horses at 21-,98d. pcr day ... .. £584 3 4 ,, Cost of Labor, Wear and Tear on Working Plant for 12

... months ( d l 4 dapsj a t 10s. 1.4d. per day ... 2,435 8 11 ,, Cost of Man, Horse and [hay per day, 1687 days worked at

... 12s. 10 6d. per day ... ... . 3,019 13 3 ,, Cost of Holidays, 122& days at 8s per day ... 48 16 6

TIME WORKEI) . Cartiny Refuse ... Cleansing Streets Carting Private Refrlce ... Horsc Broorr~s Gardens . ... G r t i ~ i g T a r ... Maintenance ... Street Watering .-. Yard Work .. Tree Culture ... 1)ogCart ... ... New Concrete l'nrelrtcnts ... Sundries ...

CITY OF PRAHRAN REFUSE DESTRUCTOR. Statement of Receipts and ~ x ~ e n d i t u r e for Year ended 30th September, 1912.

REC IILPTS. E L E ~ T R I C I . ~ Y GENERATED-

sold ... ... POWER-

Crusher ... ... ... M ~ x e r ... ... Tar Still

DYNAMO- ... Stable Lighting

Destructor Lighting . Street Ligl~t i r~g ...

PRIVATE RRPUBR BURNEI)- Dogs ... ... Fish ... ... Ordinary . ... Cartage on Refuse (Plivat?)

... Market ...

Units. 396,090

12.380 16.524 lO,5.50

660 2.3 10 1.780

441,294

...

...

...

...

as he^ Fold ... ... a N ... Scrap Tins

REFUSE BURNEI) (8 IS2 loads)- T C. Q. L .

House ... 7,801 0 2 0 Trade and Private 842 I S 2 0 Market ... 630 12 0 0

---- Total ... 8,874 6 0 0

PRODUC~NG CLINKER- 1'. C Q. L.

Sold ... 364 12 3 0 Cartage ... Maintenance ... 6 1 1 3 u Tar Paving and Rep. 306 1 :3 0 Tooral< Patk ... 1 1 2 o O Gladstone Park 1 0 8 2 0

698 17 3 0 Stock 30/9/'12 9 1 2 0 0

789 19 3 0 Total Receipts ... ... Balance, h ~ i n g amount of Expenses

... over Receipts ...

Wages- Ordi~tary . . . ... ... Clinker ... ... ...

Fuel-93 1 cwt . coke breeze ... .,. Oil ... ... ... ...

Less Stock 30,911 2 ... ... Water ... ... Stores ... ... ...

... Less Stock on hand ... Stores used, Electric Light Plant

... Less Stock . . , ... Liqhting. own Uynan~o ... ... Elec.t~ic: Power fo r Clinker Croslier ... Sanitary Service and Rep. ... ... Repalre Generator ... ...

Crusl~er ... ... S~rudries ... ... ...

Cr.-'l'ransfer frcm Loan ... ...

Cltaning flues, tnbeli, etc. ... Factory I leci i t r~t iol~ Fee ... ... I~~suraltce, E11~i11eer and Urivers ... Boiler Inspection ... ...

A l t ~ a t i o n s to Building and Engineroom ... Tools re1 ,laced ... ... Sundry Expenses (whitewashing, etc.)

Cartage 011 Clinker Refunded .. ... Cartage on I'rivate Refuse ... ...

Street Orderly Boy, with Pony Cart.

TO T H E MAYOR A N D COUNCILLORS,

CITY O F PKAHKAN

I t is with plrasure that I herewith respectfully submit for your information the .F~fty.second Annual Report of the Prahran Public Library for year ended December 31, 1912

Attendance, T h e attendance for the year created a record since the inception of the Library. NO less t h m

136,853 persons visited the institution on week days and 12.554 on Suntlays, making a grand total of 149,407 for the period mentioned. A noticeable feature is the large number of ladies who are c0nstar.t readcrs at the Library.

T h e details of attendances are as follows :- January 10,697 February 10,374 March 10,888 Aprll 10.57 I

hlay ... . . '0 573 June . . 9,230

July . 151359 August 14,880 September . . . 1 4 ~ 1 ~ 6 October . . . I Z , O ~ I

November . . . 99555 . . . 25 ., December . . . 3,561 24 ,,

-- 136353 305 Average 443

Sundays . . . 12,554 ... 50 ,, 251

Grand Tota l . . . 149,407

Addition to Stock. During the year 361 volumes were added to the general stock, consisting in the maln of carefully

selected works in biography, history, science and philosophy, travels, while fictio~i was well provided for.

A special feature of the Library is the assortment of English, American and Australian periodicals supplied, whlch are greatly appreciated, as are also the comp!ete files of the Argus," *' Age," and Prahran papers.

Library Lectures. T h e interest in the Library lectures has been well maintained during 1912. an11 it is noticeable that

several other municipal institutions have followed Prahran's lead.

T h e best thanks of the Council is tenliered to E . Slorris Miller, Esq., 11 t i . , for his lecture on c 6 Lihraries in Rrlation to E~iucation," Professor Hrnry Payne on .' T h e Early Development of the Steam Engine," and P . B ~ r a c c h i , K s q , on " T h e Solar System."

I n addition t o the above a Shakespearean realling, ' & Much Ado About Nothing," was given by Dr. J. P. Wilson a n d members of the Melbourne Shakespeare Society wlth great success.

63

Art Gallery, The Gallery has again held its own in public esteem. Professor Baldwin Spencer's notab!e collection

of pictures by Australian artwts has been on view (luring the year and greatly admired T o Professor Spencer the best thanks of the Council are due, as also to Mr. C. S. Bennett tor his collection of Buvelot's, recently loaned.

Library Association, Principally through the agency of your Library the Library Association of Victoria has been

formed, with every prospect of a successful future. I t is hopeti through its instrumentality to awaken a deeper interest in the Library movement here In Victoria.

Lending Branch. The scheme for the introductio~ of a lending branch is still being held in abeyance, pending re-

building arrangements by the Council.

Foreword. An index which will serve as a guide to articles contained in the reviews and periodicals will be

comnienced early in the new year, and should prove of value to the many students and debaters who frequent the Prahran Public Library.

I have the honor to be,

Your Obedient Servant,

ALFREI) E RlcYIICKEN,

City Librarian

HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT.

TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS, CITY OF PRAHRAN

I have the honour to forward report for the year 1911.

Population. The population is about 46,000, as shown by last census returns taken during the year.

Births. The Births are higher than for many years past, and show a decided improvement on last

year. They totalled 1064, being 547 males and 517 females, or a birth rate of over 23.5 per thousand. They were distributed as follows : -Prahran, 468 ; South Yarra, 264 ; and the remainder 332 in Armadale and Toorak. Included in the total are 5 0 illegitimate births, or about 5 per cent. of the total. As against an increase of 150 in the births we have also an increase in the deaths, but only a small increase, the total this year being 407, against 386 last year, or a rate of 9 per thousand. The sexes were all ages-187 males and 220 females ; children under 5 years of age, 49 males and 37 females, died during the year, 86 in all, or, roughly, one-fifth of the total, which is too hlgh. Efforts are continually being made to reduce this rate, and during the year a large Conference was called together by the Acting Minister of Health, with the object of further re- ducing this rate by supplying fresh milk for children. I am hopeful that some good results may come from the scheme which has been drawn up. I t is well worthy of full consideration at the hands of the Council.

Infectious Disea8es. The increase in the number of cases of Diphtheria noted last year has continued, and this

year the totai number of Diphtheria cases reported has been 209, by far the largest number ever reported, but that the improved method of treatment has been effective is shown by the fact that tnere has been only six deaths in the City. This means six deaths in I 10 cases, for 99 of our cases were sent to the lnfectious Diseases Hospital. A 54 per cent. death rate is a low one for Diph- theria, and is about the average rate of the epidemic in Victoria. Two at least of the other States are undergoing similar epidemics. During the year the Health Committee of the Council asked the co-operation of School Masters in the City to try and stop the spread of Diphtheria by refusing to allow children to attend school who might be carriers of the disease. Your Committee arranged to have swabs taken from throats of any doubtful child or adult, free of charge. During the portion of the year that this work was done, very few were sent or came to me, but since the close of the year large numbers are coming ; in fact, swabs are being taken almost daily. Of the other notifiable diseases they all show a slight decrease: For Scarlet fever the figures are 19 as against 28 last year, again no deaths. Typhoid fever 20 for 191 I and 22 for 1910, this year there were two fatal cases. Consumption (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) still continues to slowly decline, we had 54 reported cases, as against 59 last year, with 23 deaths, four less than in the preceding twelve months. The sum of A1265 17s. 6d. was paid to the Infectious Diseases Hospital for maintenance of patients sent from Prahran. This large expense will not occur again, as Prahran have now joined the Hospi.ta1, and may expect to pay about £300 per annum to the cost of the Hos- r-ital This Hospital was originally started by the Prahran Council, and 1 trcst the Counc~l may soon be represented on its management.

The appointment of an extra Health Inspector has made it possible to do more work than was done before, and to do other work better. House-to-house inspection has been going on con-

tmually during the latter part of the year, and many orders were made to repair and renovate. Altogether 272 condemnatory orders were issued during the year for insanitary and dirty premises and defective drainage. In addition, orders were served upon occupiers to put in proper order 54 yards found in an insanitary state. Three houses were closed as unfit for accommodation. The working of a By-law passed in recent years with regard to fowl yards, is working well, and vour Officers inspect many properties otherwise well looked after, where fowls undoubtedly give grave cause for complaint. Altogether 36 orders have been issued to abolish the fowl vards in the City during the past twelve months.

Rats. Since the re-organisation of our Health Departm'ent, during the year, an active campaign

has been carried on against rats, at first two men working together were employed, and during the warmer months of the year only one man. They poisoned and rapped at first, and now the one man uses principally dogs and ferrets. His average catch is slightly over IOO per week. Ratepayers freauentlv ask for his services. which is a t all times freauentlv piven. One instance of the Rat

2 0

catcher's work will further illustrate the necessity of legislation, giving Municipalities more power with regard to the position and construction of shops used for the sale of meat and fish. 1 consider all Butchers. Fish and similar qhous should be licensed bv the Council. The case I allude to is that of a butcher's shop in one-of'our leading thoroughf&es, where the Rat Inspector, with dogs and ferrets alone actually killed over 60 rats in the course of a few days, and moreover they were nearly all killed in the shop itself. It was unfortunate that punishment could not have been in- hc t ed by the Court in this case, but a change of proprietorship rendered any attempt at prosecution impossible.

Private Hospitals. During the year an Act was passed by the Legislative Assembly, taking the control of the

Private Hospitals out of the hands of the Municipalities, and placing them under the Health De- partment. The Act did not become law, but was lost at the end of the Session, not having been passed by the Upper House. I t will, undoubtedly, be introduced into Parliament next Session. An amended and new Health Act is in contemplation during the coming year. I think great care will have to be exercised to see that further encroachments are not made into the Health work of iflunicipal bodies. There are now 15 private Hospitals registered and carrying on in Prahran, principally sinall ones. They are regularly inspected, and are suitable for the work to be done, com-

ance. plying with all important conditions as laid down for their guid-

Food. 263 samples of Food were taken by your Inspectors for analysis ; 22 were found to con-

travene the " Pure Food " Standard, some only in a very technical degree ; 13 prosecutions were instituted, all of which were successful. Samples of Food unfit for consumption were seized and destroyed on several occasions, principally being stale fish, or over-ripe and decomposed fruit. 'l'aken altogether, the food supply of the City has been good during the year, and very few complaints have been made.

R. H. F E T H E R S T O N , Health Officer, City of Prahran.

Return of Attendances of Councillors at Council and Committee Meetings, Year ending 30th September, 1912.

NUMBER O F COMMITTEE MEETINGS HELD. I

Name uf Councillor. 'arks &. Gardens So. of Meetings

k special Meet-

. . . Cr. T . G . L. Scott ... (Chairman Finance Committee)

Cv 111. H . L\'illi,*, J P. . . (Chairman Public Works Committee)

Cr. 1-1. C . Heyward ... ... (Chairman Parks and Gardens Committee

Cr. A. T. I ... ... . . (Chairman Health Committee)

... Cr. E. Baylor ...

Cr. S. A. Chnmbtlrs, J.1'. ... . .

Cr. J. IC. Piintoft, J.P. ...

Cr. 12 Nicolson. J .P . ...

Cr. \ V m . Mcllwrick ... ...

Cr. A. A Floldsworth ...

Cr J. E. Morris .. ...

Cr . Wm. Uel~sharn ... ...

1 1

I Flnance. Public W orbs ] Health.

I 1

C r . Holdsworth resigned 23rd April, 1912. Cr. Densham electec

ings. ,

ith May, 1912.

reports - city of stonnington · 2016-03-29 · in the scheme of improvements set out hereunder. it...

Documents